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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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V 



TWELVE MONTHS 



ENGLISH PEISON 



BY 

SUSAN WILLIS FLETCHER 



" I was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye 
came unto me.'* — Matt. xxv. 36. 




±..%jLX't/-0 



BUSTOJT (^ 
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS 
NEW YORK 
CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM 

1884 



vV 6 



&\iV 



Copyright, 1883, 
By LEE AND SHEPARD. 



All rights reserved. 



I 






TO 

MY DEAR HUSBAND AND SON, 

AND 

DR. AND MRS. T. L. NICHOLS 

OF LONDON, 

whose devotion and love served to strengthen me during 
weary months of persecution and suffering, 

This Volume 

IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED 
BY THE AUTHOR. 



PUBLISHERS 1 NOTICE. 



The reader of this book, whether a believer in Spirit- 
ualism, or one who rejects its claims as delusive and 
impossible, will be struck by the clear and frank confi- 
dence shown in the narrative, especially of the circum- 
stances that preceded the criminal trial, and will soon 
find his feelings drawn into sympathy with the tender, 
faithful, and courageous spirit of the writer. The 
heart of the book is the heart of a noble woman. 

After a consideration of the whole case, there can- 
not remain a doubt of her innocence of the crime for 
which she suffered ; and it must be a continual re- 
proach to the jurisprudence of the foremost among 
nations that such an injustice could be done under the 
forms of law. 

A strong cry has been heard of late from the wretched 
precincts of " outcast London ; " and it is deplorable to 
see in the account of the women's prison, as here 
given, how most of the victims of the law as now 

iii 



iv PUBLISHERS' NOTICE. 

administered are educated for evil, and are graduated 
as criminals for life. If the wise and humane sugges- 
tions of the author should aid in bringing about a 
change in discipline for the restoration of fallen women, 
her unmerited imprisonment will not have been without 
recompense. 



CO^TEl^TS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Page 

My Stoey 1 

CHAPTER II. 
Some veey Childish Manifestations . . .10 

CHAPTER HI. 
Fuetheb Development, and an Early Maeriage . 14 

CHAPTER IV. 
My Delation . . . . . . . ... is 

CHAPTER V. 
A Divoece. — An Engagement. —A Maeeiage . 23 

CHAPTER VI. 

OUE FUTTJEE EEVEALED 29 

CHAPTER VII. 
A New Home and New Manifestations . . . 32 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Remaexable Tests and Special Peovidences . 40 

v 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Page 
Mr. Fletcher visits Egypt axd Palestine, and 

we settle in London 50 

CHAPTER X. 
22 Gordon Street, and Mrs. Hart-Davies . . 56 

CHAPTER XL 
The Story of the Jewels and the Deed of Gift, (34 

CHAPTER XII. 
How She came to live with Us, and went to Tours, 77 

CHAPTER XIII. 
We get more, not to say better, acquainted . 85 

CHAPTER XIY. 
Our Excursion to America . . . . . .92 

CHAPTER XY. 

New York, Boston, Camp-Meeting, Dr. Mack, and 

Signor Rondi ; 95 

CHAPTER XYI. 
What happened at the Camp-Meeting ... 99 

CHAPTER XVII. 
My First Night in Prison, and what came of it, 116 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
From Boston to Bow Street, London . . . 132 



CONTENTS. Vll 

CHAPTER XTX. 

Page 

Before Mb. Flowers at Bow Street . . . 130 
CHAPTER XX. 

I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL, AND THE GOVERNMENT 

PROSECUTES 147 

CHAPTER XXI. 
A Cross-examination 156 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Cross-Examination continued 165 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Influence of the Press 170 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Forty Yards of Indictment ...... 174 

CHAPTER XX Y. 
The Old Bailey 17S 

CHAPTER XXYI. 
The Opening of the Case 1S4 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

The Testimony and Cross-Ex amination . . .194 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Speeches of Counsel, Witnesses to Character, 

and a Fatal Surrender . . . . .224 



Vlll CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

Page 

Sir Henry Hawkins's Charge to the Jury, Ver- 
dict, and Sentence 237 

CHAPTER XXX. 
Some Comments on the Case ...... 243 

CHAPTER XXXT. 
In the Pillory * . . 254 

CHAPTER XXXII. 
The Other Side 267 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 
Some Comments on the Case 309 

. CHAPTER XXXIY. 
Her Majesty's Prison, Westminster . . . 318 

CHAPTER XXXV. 
Prisoners and Prison-Life ...... 333 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 
Spirits in Prison . . . . . . . . . 339 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 
An Insane Prisoner 350 

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
A Visit to my Husband 355 



CONTENTS. IX 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

Page 

Flowers brought to my Cell. — A Lock of Hair 

axd a Letter 363 

CHAPTER XL. 

Instantaneous Transmission of Letters between 
London and Calcutta. — Manifestations of 
Spirit-Power 371 

CHAPTER XLI. 
Further Experiences 381 

CHAPTER XLIL 

Release of a Prisoner. — Celebrating a Birth- 
day k . . 3S7 

CHAPTER XLIII. 
Memorials and Petitions to the Home Secretary, 395 

CHAPTER XLIV. 
A Plea for Prison-Reform . . . . . . 403 

CHAPTER XLV. 
Freedom . . . , . . ... . 407 

CHAPTER XLYI. 

At Liberty ln London. —A Farewell Seance, 

and a Farewell to England . . . .412 



APPENDICES. 



APPENDIX I. 

Fage 

Eeport of the Cross-Examination of Mrs. Hart- 
Davies before the Bow-Street Magistrate, 
Mr. Flowers, with the Suggestions of Coun- 
sel, etc . . . .425 

APPENDIX II. 
Letter of Dr. T. L. Nichols to the " Banner of 

Light" 432 

APPENDIX III. 
Keport of the Opening Speech of Mr. Montagu 

Williams for the Prosecution . . . . 437 

APPENDIX IV. 
Charge to the Jury by Justice Hawkins . . 445 

APPENDIX V. 
What Prisons are, and what they might be . 458 

APPENDIX YI. 
Memorial of Dr. Nichols to the Home Secreta- 
ry, asking for the Release of Mrs. Fletcher . 471 
x 



TWELVE MONTHS IN AN 
ENGLISH PEISON". 



TWELVE MONTHS IN AN ENGLISH 
PRISON. 



CHAPTER I. 

MY STORY. 



In the summer of 1880, while visiting my mother 
in the United States, I was arrested on a charge of 
obtaining jewels and clothing of great value, by undue 
influence or false pretences, from a lady known as Mrs. 
Juliet Anne Theodora Heurtley Eickard Hart-Davies. 
After having been kept one night in prison, I was 
released on bail, and, on the hearing of the case, 
honorably discharged. 

Learning that the same charge had been made against 
me in England, and a warrant sworn out for my arrest, 
I left America just before Christmas, and came to 
England to meet my accusers. I came alone ; because 
my husband was suffering from lung and heart dis- 
ease, and his physician would not consent to his 
making the voyage in mid-winter. As I expected, I 

1 



Z TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

was arrested before leaving the steamer, arraigned at 
Bow Street, and was in due time tried at the Central 
Criminal Court, Old Bailey, found guilty, and sen- 
tenced to twelve months' imprisonment. 

All this time my own story of the matters connected 
with my accusation, trial, and imprisonment, has not 
been told. Condemned without a hearing, undefended 
at my trial, my witnesses uncalled, and, by the crimi- 
nal procedure then in force, not allowed to tell my 
own story to the jury, I now, in the first hours of my 
freedom, after undergoing the full sentence of the law, 
desire to tell the whole story of my life to all whose 
love of truth and justice may make them willing to 
read it. 

Because the right of every person accused of crime 
to tell his or her own story to the jury was not allowed 
to me, and because the witnesses who would have 
proved my innocence, and shown the perjuries of my 
accusers, were excluded from the witness-box by being 
included in the indictment against me, or were not 
called upon to testify, I was condemned unheard. 
Therefore I claim the right to tell the story of my 
life, — how I became a Spiritualist, and discovered 
myself to be a medium ; how it came about that I 
was accused of crime, convicted, and punished. 

Let me begin at the beginning. I was born in 
Lowell, Mass., a manufacturing town on the River 



MY STORY. 3 

Merrimac, " the Manchester of America," on the 25th 
of March, 1848. 

Alvah H. Webster, my father, was one of the nu- 
merous New-England family of Websters, which has 
produced a famous lawyer and statesman and a great 
lexicographer. 

My parents were religious people, and belonged to 
the denomination of Baptists, which is one of the 
largest of the numerous sects in America, where, in 
the absence of an established church, there are no 
nonconformists or dissenters. 

My mother was gifted with the " second sight," or 
clairvoyance, which is a not very unfrequent accom- 
paniment of deep religious feeling. When her first 
child, who died two years before I was born, was lying 
ill, she saw three angels appear, one after the other, 
floating around its crib. As the last one disappeared, 
the child held up one of its little feet, and said, " Kiss 
it, mamma," and immediately passed away. 

I was born in the same year that saw the advent of 
modern Spiritualism. Of two brothers born after me, 
one died ; and I have a sister, younger than myself, 
still living. 

About the year 1850 my father, leaving his family 
in Lowell, went with his brother to seek their fortunes 
in the gold-fields of California, and there remained for 
several years. In travelling from one miner's camp to 



4 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

another, my uncle was overwhelmed by a sudden snow- 
storm, during which he perished, and was buried six- 
teen feet deep in the snow. For six weeks my father 
vainly sought to find him or his dead body. One day, . 
snow-blind, and groping about to find his way, he fell ; 
and when rescued he was found close by the frozen 
body of his brother. 

Returning to Lowell, my father bought a small place 
in the country, where we lived peacefully for several 
years, and I grew strong in childish plays and the 
innocent enjoyments of a country life. I remember 
that I was so fond of dolls as to make them of pota- 
toes by the dozen, all dressed and named ; while my 
cruel uncle John, in his boyish contempt for such play- 
things, cut their throats, and hung them on the clothes- 
line. After this horrible murder, John went off to his 
Sunday school, while I was in a great passion of grief 
and anger. On his return he found me crying, and 
became very penitent. To console me he proposed a 
funeral service for the twelve dead dolls. They were 
all laid out for burial ; and we were to have singing, 
Bible-reading, praying, and preaching. But John, 
though very penitent for his crime, wanted to do more 
than his share of both praying and preaching. I told 
him to hurry up, and we sang a hymn. As I began 
my sermon, I seemed to be in the open fields among 
the flowers, and the air was full of angels. Mamma 



MY STORY. 5 

and grandmamma, who were listening to me, called 
grandpapa, who brought with him one of the elders, 
who was visiting us. We closed our services with the 
Doxology, when the door opened, and we discovered 
cur audience. 

My grandfather came to me. "Elder Hinckley," 
he said, " don't you think she was born to preach? " 
He took me in his loving arms, and with tender emo- 
tion said, " The Holy Ghost has descended upon this 
house. God, make her strong to do her work ! " 

From that day he always encouraged me, and I had 
at times the feeling that I had a work to do. When 
about seven years old, walking alone in the fields one 
day, I climbed upon a rock for my pulpit, and began 
to preach ; and it seemed to me that when I looked 
up into the trees I saw them full of hands applauding 
me. 

My father's adventure in California, and the strange 
manner of his finding the body of my uncle in the 
snow, led to his conversion to a belief in Spiritualism. 
The manner of my uncle's death was known only to 
the party that found the living and dead so near to- 
gether. To save the feelings of the family and friends, 
my father had kept the secret ; and it was generally 
supposed that he had died of some ordinary disease. 

Dr. Kenney, an old friend of papa's, had been in 
California at the same time, and came to see us at our 



6 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

country homo. He asked papa if he had heard any 
thing of Spiritualism. Father said he thought it was 
perfectly absurd, and had no belief in it. 

"Well," said Dr. Kenney, "I can't agree to that; 
for I have just seen a lady at Lawrence who professes 
to be a medium, and she told me all the particulars of 
your poor brother Charles's death. I came here on 
purpose to talk with you about it." 

He went on to tell some of the things he had heard 
from the medium, until father said he would go and 
see her. So they drove together to the lady's house. 

To avoid the possibility of any collusion, he asked 
to see the medium alone. When he entered the room, 
she began to shiver, and said, "There is some one 
belonging to. you who was either drowned, or frozen 
to death, and who wishes to speak with you." 

Passing suddenly into a state of trance, she stretched 
out her hands to him, saying in accents of delight, 
" Whj T , Alvah dear, how glad I am to see you! I 
am your brother Charles, who was frozen to death," 
giving the date. He proceeded to give my father the 
most minute details of the whole affair, describing 
the manner in which his body had been found, and 
told him that the spirits* had made him temporarily 
blind, so that they could lead him to the spot where 
his brother's body lay buried in the snow. 

"Don't you remember what a dreadful finger I 



MY STORY. 7 

bad?" The medium held up the forefinger of her 
right hand. 

My father remembered that his brother had a bad 
whitlow on the third finger, which he had often dressed 
for him. At the instant the medium, or the spirit 
through the medium, said, " It was not the first, but 
the third finger, you will remember." 

After giving my father many proofs of my uncle's 
identity, the medium was controlled by one of her 
Ci guides," who told him, that, if he wanted proofs of 
the reality of spiritual manifestation, he need not go 
to mediums, for he had in his own daughter one of 
the most remarkable mediums in the world. He had 
only to sit with his wife and daughter at home to get 
communications from spirits who might wish to come 
to us. The spirit gave him some predictions as to 
my future, saying that I should become a wonderful 
medium ; that I should travel nearly the world over, 
be very successful, and also meet with dreadful trials. 
••Something will happen to her," she said, u at the 
age of thirty-three ; but I cannot tell its significance, 
or whether it portends her death. But I see her raised 
upon a pedestal in front of a man with silvery hair, 
robed in scarlet and black, with a great assembly of 
people. I see two men — one with a gray beard, the 
other younger — who seem to support her, and through 
whose efforts she seems to be raised to a life of higher 
aims and nobler uses." 



8 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

On his return home, my father told every thing to 
mother, who was strongly prejudiced against Spiritual- 
ism, and believed that it was all either rank imposture 
or the work of the Devil. But at my father's earnest 
desire she consented to sit with him at the table. 

I was also invited, but refused to come near them. 
I was afraid. At length my father placed me on a 
little couch near them. They sat a long time, but 
nothing came of it, and mother said, — 

4C Well, Alvah, if you care to go on with this folly, 
I don't." And she got up, and left him. I also 
thought it was nonsense, and said, " Well, papa, if 
the table won't move, why don't you try my rocking- 
chair?" 

He took the suggestion seriously, and said, " Well, 
little one, we will try it;" and, lifting up my little 
chair, he placed it upon the table. He and mamma 
put their hands on the rockers, and I jumped up, and 
put mine on the table. The little chair began to turn 
round, so that they got up from their seats to follow 
its movements. Mother accused father of causing the 
movements. She thought he had done it. Both de- 
nied having any agency in the matter. 

Father then asked if the spirit of his brother was 
present, and wished to communicate. He was an- 
swered by a shower of raps made by the rocker of the 
chair on the table. 



MY STORY. 9 

Father solemnly turned to my mother, and saicl, 
" Truly we are in the presence of the angels. " 

I said, u O dear uncle Charles, I am so sorry you 
were frozen in the snow ! I loved you so much ! 
Won't you come to me now?''* 

As I spoke, the chair turned completely round, and 
leaned over to me, so that I could have put my arm 
around it. 

This w r as the beginning of the experience of my 
parents in Spiritualism, and I may now proceed to 
relate some of rny own early experiences. 



CHAPTER II. 

SOME VERY CHILDISH MANIFESTATIONS. 

I have said that my parents were Baptists ; and we, 
of course, attended the Baptist church. In America 
all chapels are churches : in earlier times they were 
"meeting-houses." There was a baptistery in our 
church, — a tank of water under the pulpit, — in which 
persons who had " experienced religion" were baptized 
by immersion. The minister and candidate, dressed 
in baptismal robes, went down into the water. This 
scene greatly impressed me ; and when the minister 
raised his loosely draped arms, as he came up from 
the water, and said, " Come unto me, all ye that labor 
and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest," two 
beautiful women seemed to me to come through the 
window opposite, and bend over, and touch his hands, 
as if to bless him. 

Once, after seeing this appearance, I was impressed 

to go to his robing-room, and tell him how much I 

loved and revered him. I knocked at his door, and 

was bidden to enter. I told him that I had come to 

10 



SOME VERY CHILDISH MANIFESTATIONS. 11 

tell him bow I loved hiru and the beautiful ladies who 
came to him in the church. 

" Ladies ! " be said. " What ladies-? " 

I told him of the two who always came at the bap- 
tismal service, describing them, and telling him that 
one was dark and the other fair, and that the younger 
and fairer had said, ''Remember Ida," and that she 
had placed a wreath of beautiful orange-blossoms on 
hi§ head, and said, " Separate in life, united in death." 

I shall never forget his troubled look and tearful 
eyes, as he said, — 

" Little one, this is witchery. Have your parents 
ever spoken to you of Spiritualism? " 

" Oh, yes ! " I said. " And we sit at the table to- 
gether." 

" My child," he said earnestly, " never do so again. 
It may be true that spirits come to you ; but it is the 
Devil who comes to tempt people, and get possession 
of their souls. Pray to God to forgive you ; but, if 
you continue, you will surely go to hell." 

I was horrified ; but I asked, " What is hell? " 

"It is a dreadful place, where people are burned 
for ever and ever." 

I went out: and, feeling that I had been a great 
sinner, I wanted to punish myself ; so I took off my 
shoes and stockings, and walked home (two miles) 
barefoot, on the sharp gravel. Then, to get an idea 



12 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

of the dreadfulness of hell, in my childishness I put my 
finger on the hot stove-pipe, first high up, then lower 
down, until it .was burnt to a blister, and I almost 
fainted with the pain. 

My mother came in, took me on her lap, and asked 
what was the matter. 

I said, " Dear mamma, if I were a dreadful wicked 
girl, and you were God, would you send me to hell? " 
She said she would not. " Then I will never love God 
any more," I said ; " for I love you better than God." 

She soon got from me the whole story of my visit to 
the minister, and soothed and comforted me. 

Years afterward the minister confessed that he had 
been engaged to be married to a young lady named 
" Ida," who died a few weeks before the day appointed 
for their nuptials. 

It w r as not uncommon for me at this period of my 
life to see the spirits of beautiful men, women, and 
children, who seemed as real as the people about me, 
and who came and talked to me and my mother, 
while others could neither see nor hear them. 

Behind our house, and a little separated from it, was 
a coach-house with a hayloft ; and it was my delight 
to clamber up into this huge loft of fragrant hay, 
and lie down to sleep upon it. It was dimly lighted 
by a lattice ; and when I closed my eyes I saw beauti- 
ful angels come through the lattice, and bend over 



SOME VERY CHILDISH MANIFESTATIONS. 13 

mo ; and then I felt an ecstatic happiness, and a sense 
of inflation or extreme lightness. After a time I 
seemed to float up and up, until I came to the roof, 
when the roof would open, and I seemed to see throngs 
of beautiful angels coming to me. Some of them talked 
with me : and one day I said to them, u May I bring 
you some flowers the next time I am made so happy? " 

They gave me leave to bring them ; so the next day. 
when I went to the loft for my little siesta. I carried a 
great bunch of flowers, which I cuddled closely in my 
arms before shutting my eyes. Very soon the feeling 
of happiness, as I called my ecstasy, came over me ; 
and I floated up and up. until I .came to the roof, 
which seemed to open as before, and I asked the angels 
to take the flowers. They seemed to take them, but 
would not carry them away, and said. "We will put 
them where you can see them, and remember us." 
And then they placed them on the spikes that came 
through the roof, and could not be reached without a 
high ladder. 

THien I awoke from my sleep, my flowers were gone. 
Looking up. I saw them hanging on the spikes. I re- 
membered then, that **the ladies," as I called them. 
had said that they would carry the spirits of the flowers 
to heaven, but would leave their material forms where 
I could see them. 



CHAPTER III. 

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT, AND AN EARLY MARRIAGE. 

Our family seances were kept up, with varied mani- 
festations, until, in 18G0, when I was in my twelfth 
year, we removed to Lawrence, Mass., a new manu- 
facturing town, and rival to Lowell, situated farther 
down the River Merrimac. Here my father engaged 
as his business assistant Mr. William M. Willis, a son 
of his first medium, to whom I was afterward married. 
It became known at Lawrence that I was a medium, 
u a wonderful medium," it was said ; but all mediums 
are wonderful, and the smallest manifestation of spirit- 
power is a marvel. 

I had a great repugnance to sitting in circle, as it 
is called, and to any spiritual manifestations, except 
in my own family or with friends : but we were soon 
importuned for sittings ; and our home was flooded 
with eager visitors, for whose benefit I was with some 
difficulty induced to sit. 

It was at one of these seances, when I was twelve 
years old, that I fell into a deep trance, and my body 
14 



FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. 15 

became possessed by, or came under the control of, an 
Indian spirit, who gave such tests to our visitors, that 
the notoriety I got became a great torment to me ; for 
I was stared at in the streets by strangers, and pointed 
at as a witch. 

I became a writing as well as a trance medium ; 
that is, I was controlled to write unconsciously, or 
without my own volition. Even my school-exercises 
were so written, to my own great relief, and somewhat 
to the wonderment of my teachers. 

One day my hand wrote, "Get a covered slate." 
I told my father about it ; and he found for me what 
is called a book-slate, in which I could conceal my 
writing. I cannot tell whether it was the best way. 
I do not think all spirits are wise : I only record the 
fact, that they saved me from the labor of study, did 
my sums, wrote my exercises, and that I got many 
prizes, and stood at the head of my class. This 
seems to me unjust to those who worked much harder, 
but perhaps no more unjust than when prizes are 
given to, or successes are gained b} T , those who are 
gifted with extraordinary talents or genius. 

The spirits who assisted, and at times controlled me, 
wished now to develop my mediumship so as to make 
it of the greatest use in carrying out what seems to be 
their great object or mission, which they declare to be 
the conversion of the world to a knowledge of spirit 



16 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

existence, of the great fact of immortality. When I 
refused to sit at seances, the manifestations went on 
in the night. These were often very unpleasant to me. 
We were living in a country which had been once 
thickly peopled by the North-American Indians. Our 
beautiful River Merrimac, and my native State, Massa- 
chusetts, had Indian names ; and my poor little body 
was taken possession of, greatly against my will, by 
fierce Indian warrior-chiefs. 

When I resisted, my bed was lifted up, and violently 
shaken. A heavy table was drawn across the floor, 
the clothes violently taken from my bed, and I lifted 
up, and seated upon the table. 

These manifestations, which may have been exer- 
cises for my development as a medium, went on to the 
period of -my marriage, at the age of fourteen. Mr. 
Willis had become very fond of me, as, truth to say, 
I also had of him. My parents gave their consent to 
our engagement, — a consent not alwaj^s asked in 
America, where young people, often at an earlier age 
than in England, are accustomed to make their own 
matrimonial arrangements. 

Of marriage and all that belongs to it, no child was 
ev^r in more profound ignorance. My first child was 
born when I was sixteen years old. I had the disci- 
pline of terrible suffering ; and I had to wonder, like 
many others, why my guardian angels did not protect 



FUKTHER DEVELOPMENT. 17 

me against what may have been necessary for my prog- 
ress, and a preparation for the work I had been chosen 
to perform. I believe it was " for the best ; " but I do 
not understand why it has been necessary for me to 
endure so much suffering. 

This reminds me of a fact I had forgotten. I got 
poisoned while at school ; and my voluntary nerves 
became so completely paralyzed, that I could move only 
my little fingers. Medicine had no effect upon me ; 
but my mother-in-law, who was a healing medium, mes- 
merized and gradually cured me. The mesmerism, or 
magnetism, differed from the usual kind in this : being 
a medium, she was under the control of some spirit ; 
and it was the controlling spirit who really magnetized 
and cured me. The cure began where movement often 
ends. It began with the power to move my toes, and 
in a short time I had the control of the entire volun- 
tary system. 



CHAPTER IV. 



MY DEDICATION. 



During the first year of my marriage all my mani- 
festations ceased, and I believed and even hoped that 
they had ceased forever. But at the age of fifteen I 
became acquainted with a Mr. Morell, who was about 
sixty years old, and husband of the first trance and 
inspirational medium in the city where I resided, — 
indeed, the first medium of any kind I had ever known. 
With much persuasion he induced me to sit with him. 
I was reluctant ; but the result was my development in 
a similar phase of mediumship, which soon made me 
known to a larger public, and engaged me in a broader 
work. 

A Spiritualist society had been organized in Law- 
rence, as in almost every considerable town in America. 
Some called it a Spiritualist Church. They had a hall 
for Sunday meetings, and regular exercises, services, 
and lectures. Mr. Morell wished me to speak under 
spirit-influence at their meetings. Under their direc- 
tion I was placed on what they said was a regimen 
18 



MY DEDICATION. 19 

'which would strengthen me for my work. I had oat- 
meal and cream for my breakfast, fish and vegeta- 
bles for dinner, and brown-bread and milk for tea or 
supper. 

After a fortnight of this diet I was to attend the 
Sunday meeting. On Sunday morning, at the break- 
fast-table, I fell into a state of trance, which contin- 
ued through the day. In it, and while unconscious of 
all that was about me, and fasting after breakfast, I 
was taken to the church, and gave two lectures, which 
seemed to have had great success. I had no conscious- 
ness, and no memory of them or of any thing that 
had occurred ; and the secret was kept from me until 
one day a gentleman congratulated me upon my per- 
formance. I asked him what he meant ; and I then 
found out that I had been speaking — with great power 
and eloquence it was said — on the subject of "Wo- 
man's Rights." I was deeply disgusted; because I 
did not believe in woman's rights, nor care for woman's 
wrongs, and I did not wish to speak in public. I 
said it was all the work of the Devil, and passionately 
declared that I would have no more to do with it. 

I busied myself with my domestic and maternal 
duties, and in my eighteenth year gave birth to my 
second child. At this time we were living in the coun- 
try, at some distance from Lawrence. I had no mani- 
festations, and hoped and prayed that my mediumship 
might never come back to me. 



20 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

One night, when my boy-baby was two months and 
six clays old, I sat with him in my lap, and a flood of 
moonlight fell across me and my babe. As I sat look- 
ing at him, he seemed to turn from me, and, floating 
out on the moonbeams, vanished from my sight. Per- 
haps I had fallen asleep. I must have moved when 
startled with this dream or vision. My baby fell from 
nry lap upon the floor, and went into convulsions. 

This was on Saturday night. At ten o'clock on 
Monday the nurse thought he seemed better. I took 
him to my breast, and then placed him in his crib, and 
went into the next room, singing for joj\ I soon went 
back, and fell on my knees to thank God for the hope 
that I could keep my darling. 

He put out his little hand, — this babe of two months 
and eight days, — patted my cheek, and said, u Mam- 
ma, mamma !" and with one little gasp was dead. 
My aunt who was with me heard him as well. It was 
not my fancy. They tried to take me from the room 
in vain. To my agonized question, "Is my baby 
dead?" I got no answer. I was in convulsions all 
day, and seemed nigh to death. 

It was in the month of December, which in New 
England is very cold ; and the country, as usual at this 
season, was deep in snow. They buried my baby in a 
graveyard two miles and a half away. I did not know 
where it was situated. I cannot now remember that I 



MY DEDICATION. 21 

had ever seen it. For weeks I was ill. Deep snow 
had fallen ; and my one idea was, that my baby was 
under the snow, and that to keep him there was very 
wicked. Unbeknown to any one, I got out of the 
house, and walked through the snow, two miles and a 
half, to the little grave, from which I scraped the 
snow, and found a little pansy, a dear little hearts- 
ease, blooming as if angels tended it under the snow. 
I put my face down, and talked to my baby. Then I 
saw above me a cluster of little clouds, which gradu- 
ally came near me, and then opened, and I saw a 
beautiful girl holding my baby in her arms, both of 
them radiant and happy. 

u Do you want him back again? " the beautiful girl 
asked me. 

" Oh, yes, yes ! " I cried. 

" Look at him," she said, and laid him in my arms. 

I looked ; and oh, how beautiful he was, and how 
happy ! 

" Look at me," she said. " Look at my face, so as 
to remember who I am. Tell your mother that Mary 
has him, and that we shall help to prepare him for 
what he has to do." 

My selfish feeling was conquered. It would be too 
cruel to ask him back; and I said, " You may keep 
him." 

"We have taken him," she said, " to save him 



22 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

from the evils that would have come to him, and also 
to save your life for our best work. We will take care 
of him, but you must work for us." 

" What can I do for you? " 

u Resist our influences no longer. It was this resist- 
ance that brought you those horrible manifestations. 
Have no more doubts, ask no more questions. Go 
out into the world, put your hands in ours, and do as 
we shall direct you." 

I gave her back my baby, put my hand in hers, and 
promised there, kneeling in the snow by the grave of 
my child, to do my appointed work. This was my 
dedication for what I have done, or may do or suffer. 

She took my baby back into the clouds from which 
she had come. The vision ended. 

I came to my senses, and found myself very cold 
and wet, and wanted to get home, but did not know 
the way. When I got out of the gate, I knew not 
which way to turn ; but a neighbor of ours, who was 
passing, carried me home in his sleigh, after which I 
had a long illness, and was carried to my mother to 
be better nursed. 

From this time I never more resisted the influences 
which controlled my mediumship. I gave my pledge ; 
and I will, God helping me, keep it to the end. 



CHAPTER V. 

A DIVORCE. AN ENGAGEMENT. A MARRIAGE. 

In 1867, when I was nineteen years old, my health 
failed, and I went with my husband to live in Law- 
rence, so as to be near my mother. With the loss of 
health I seemed to lose my mediumship. Not succeed- 
ing according to his wishes, my husband decided to go 
to the newer country of the West ; and we found a 
home at Marseilles, 111., seventy miles west of Chicago. 
Here there fell upon me a calamity which comes to 
so many women that it cannot be called a strange one. 
My husband got into habits of intoxication ; and I 
had for nine months a life of such misery, that my 
mother, having a strong impression that something 
was wrong, came to see me, and, after trying vainly 
to make things better, advised me to return to my 
father's house, which I a few months after did. My 
husband followed us. Soon promising to do better, I 
tried to live with him again. Doubtless he tried to 
reform. He fell into greater evils ; and I suffered from 
wrongs I do not wish to dwell upon, and had an expe- 

23 



24 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

rience which made me sympathize with every woman 
who suffers. After an illness of seventeen weeks, 
caused by his misconduct, I felt compelled to sue for a 
divorce, and after a season obtained my legal emanci- 
pation. 

I was now employed for some years in giving inspi- 
rational addresses, speaking under spirit-influence in 
most of the towns of New England where Spiritualist 
societies had been established. It was during this 
period that I first saw and became acquainted with 
Mr. John William Fletcher, a medium and trance- 
speaker who had lectured in my father's hall. I was 
not at home when this occurred ; but my mother was 
much attracted to him, and became warm in his praise. 
I was, capriciously perhaps, prejudiced against him, 
and even refused to be introduced to him, but out of 
courtesy, and to please my mother, finally consented. 
We had met at a lecture given by one of the earliest 
and best-known of American advocates of Spiritualism. 

I resisted the attraction I doubtless felt for Mr. 
Fletcher, from a sense of duty also ; for I was at this 
time engaged to be married to a gentleman of New 
York, and could not with any propriety have had 
much to say to my mother's favorite. 

We met, however, a little later, at a Spiritualist 
camp-meeting. These camp-meetings are held every 
summer in many parts of America, in imitation of 



DIVORCE, ENGAGEMENT, MARRIAGE. 25 

the Methodist camp-meetings, a century older. Some 
beautiful grove by a river, lake, or the sea or moun- 
tain side, is chosen ; sheltering temporary buildings 
are erected, or tents. In some cases there are even 
large hotels built near the grounds for the accommoda- 
tion of visitors. Mediums gather ; seances are given 
in the tents ; the grove resounds with singing ; and 
there are lectures, trance-addresses, etc., at the ap- 
pointed hours. 

At the camp-meeting I attended, and in the services 
of which I took part, Mr. Fletcher was a favorite 
medium and speaker. We renewed our acquaintance, 
and in conversation wandered into a quiet and secluded 
little grotto, where he became controlled by his spirit- 
guide, u Winona." To test Mr. Fletcher's clairvoyance, 
I left off my engagement-ring. 

" Winona " immediately askecl me why I had taken 
it off. I evaded the question by asking, "How do 
you know that I have an engagement-ring? " 

44 Oh! I have seen it," said "Winona," and went 
on to describe it. "But," she continued, " you will 
never have any use for it. You will never marry that 
man." 

" How can you tell that? Do you know him ? " 

"No, I don't know him; but I can find him." 
And in a few moments she described him and his 
house in New York with perfect accuracy. "You'll 



26 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

never marry him," she continued: "you will break 
off your engagement." 

" For what reason, ' Winona ' ? " 

" He will try to compel you to break off your work 
for Spiritualism. You will not consent. You will 
marry a medium." 

" Can you describe the medium I am to marry? " 

She described some one like her own medium, and 
said, "You will marry him. In five years you will 
tell me that my prediction was true." 

My expected marriage, which from a worldly point 
of view was very advantageous, and was warmly 
approved by my parents, was broken off precisely on 
the grounds that "Winona" had predicted. Three 
weeks before the day appointed for our marriage, my 
affianced opened the subject in a letter. He wrote, 
"When you are my wife, I shall expect you to take 
your proper place in society. Of course you can no 
longer be known as a medium, or speak in public : all 
that I must strictly prohibit. Of course you can see 
that all that sort of thing would be entirely inconsistent 
with your position." 

I had to make my choice. I sought counsel from 
my parents, who said, — 

' c Do what your angels tell you to do, my child. 
They have never advised you ill." 

That night, when I had been half an hour in bed, 



DIVORCE, ENGAGEMENT, MARRIAGE. 27 

thinking of my position, and trying to see and feel 
what it was my duty to do, I fell, I suppose, into a 
trance. The roof of the house seemed to open, the 
clouds came down to me. A gentle spirit descended, 
and brought my child. He lay, a little baby, on the 
bed beside me. He put his little hand upon my face, 
and patted it, as he had done by the snow-covered 
grave, and said again, " Mamma, mamma ! " as when 
passing away, and vanished out of sight. 

It was enough. He had recalled the pledge I had 
given to the angels on his grave. Next day I wrote, 
returned the ring, and broke off the engagement. In 
a year and a half I was married to Mr. Fletcher, with 
the full and free consent both of his parents and my 
own. 

We went to live with the parents of my husband. 
My f atfier-in-law was opposed to my doing any more 
public work until rested, and restored to my usual 
health. Now that his son was married, he wanted 
us to live with him, and enjoy the property and suf- 
ficient income .of which my husband, as only child, 
would be the heir. My mother-in-law said, " As well 
as you love my son, so will I love you." I am com- 
pelled to say that the very reverse of this has been 
true. There seemed to come a strange, jealous hatred 
in place of the love she promised, and which at that 
time she may possibly have felt. 



28 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

For the year we lived with my husband's parents I 
was the child of my father-in-law. No man could love 
his own daughter more than he seemed to love me. 
But a sad domestic complication marred our happi- 
ness. He refused to give up the society of one whom 
he had known for years, and of whom his wife was 
furiously jealous. Husband and wife separated. 

When my father-in-law, whom I truly loved, took 
his departure, I went to the door to see him off, and 
say goocl-by. He put his arms round me, and kissed 
me tenderly. I shall love him always for all his kind- 
ness to me then, and because of his love to me in the 
long-ago. 

Three months after, the person who had been the 
cause of this separation died, and the husband and 
wife were reconciled and re-united. But my mother- 
in-law was jealous of me, as if the jealousy, for which 
she had cause, was transferred to me. She told her 
husband terrible stories about me. I believe she 
became the victim of malicious, lying spirits, who 
interfered, and kept us apart. 



CHAPTER VI. 



OUR FUTURE REVEALED. 



We were compelled to leave this discordant home. 
The treatment I received was insufferable. The rec- 
onciled husband- fell naturally completely under the in- 
fluence of his wife, and could not protect me from her 
malice. When we went from their home, our worldly 
means were five dollars, and Mr. Fletcher was disabled 
by an attack of sciatica. 

After a visit to a lady of our acquaintance in Low- 
ell, we went to a Spiritualist camp-meeting at Silver 
Lake, near Plymouth, Mass. While here, being under 
control of spirits, we were told to go to Lake Pleas- 
ant, another camping-ground, near Greenfield, about a 
hundred and fifty miles north-west of Boston. We 
both gave seances there with such success, that, after 
paying our expenses, we had a little fund of a hundred 
and fifty dollars. 

On the day we left Mount Pleasant, there came to us 
a remarkable vision. An Egyptian spirit, who seemed 
venerable and wise, laid before us the course of our 

29 



30 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

future lives, and the work we were to do for a consid- 
erable period. 

He said we were to go to Boston, and take an office 
together as test mediums, and stay there for some 
years ; then I was to cross the Atlantic, and engage 
in a similar work in London, and, after encountering 
some difficulties, return to America. Mr. Fletcher 
would then go to London, and I would follow him. 
There we should find our home. We would meet oppo- 
sition, but would overcome it. Mr. Fletcher would 
give public lectures, first in a small hall, and then in a 
larger one in a more fashionable quarter. At first 
this place would be refused to him, on account of the 
prejudice against Spiritualism ; but influences would be 
used to overcome this prejudice, and secure the place. 
There would be a great success, and he would have a 
public testimonial. 

" When you have had this triumph," the spirit con- 
tinued, " then beware, the day of your trial will be at 
hand. From this time for two years will be the crisis 
of your life ; and your whole future will depend upon 
the trust you place in us, your fidelity to us, and your 
courage. You will be publicly disgraced ; you will 
be imprisoned for the truth's sake ; but do not falter. 
Remember always that God understands, and that even 
in this world your rights will be restored, and your 
characters vindicated. Take this for your motto : — 



OUK FUTUBB REVEALED. 31 

"To-day — alone amid ruins: 
To-morrow — victory and the people." 

You will suffer for the truth as no medium has suf- 
fered. You will return to America, and remain for a 
time ; but you will then go back to England, and re- 
ceive a triumph to which the first was but a shadow. 

This vision, now in so large a part fulfilled, came to 
us in 1873. 

Afterward all this prophecy of our future was given 
again in a vision w r hieh both of us saw, in which the 
scenes of our future lives passed before us like a mov- 
ing panorama. At its close there appeared a silver 
goblet, and over it were the words, "Beware! TJie 
day of your trial is at hand." 

After the triumphal presentation of the silver goblet 
to us at Steinway Hall in 1879, when we had retired 
from the brilliant stage and applauding assembly, into 
the artists' room, I took up the goblet, and the whole 
vision came into my mind, and also into my husband's. 
The subject of his last lecture at Steinway Hall was, 
u Beware of the Foes of your ow r n Household." 



CHAPTER VII. 

A NEW H03IE AND NEW MANIFESTATIONS. 

Leaving Lake Pleasant, we went to visit my par- 
ents, where we had some peaceful rest ; but we had 
our orders to go to Boston. We held a seance for 
more specific directions. "Winona" came, and told 
us to go to the office of the "Banner of Light," the 
American Spiritualist paper. 

We went to the office in Montgomery Place, and 
had a kind and hearty welcome from Mr. Rich, the 
business manager, who said he had a large room in 
his building which could easily be divided into three. 
Men were at once set to work, and we were soon in 
possession of a small but convenient home. 

The "Banner" publishers had suffered heavily, 
some time before this, from a fire ; and subscriptions 
were made by Spiritualists for their relief. I had 
done what I could to promote these, and had some 
success, w^hich Mr. Rich had not failed to remember. 
But, aside from this small claim upon his good offices, 
he was and is, and I hope may long continue to be, 
32 



A NEW HOME AND NEW MANIFESTATIONS. 33 

the large-hearted, liberal, and considerate friend of all 
honest and worthy mediums. When we spoke of 
business, and of the rent we were to pay, he said, "If 
you succeed, you can pay: if not, it don't matter." 
* With this model landlord we staid a year and a half, 
and quite succeeded in paying our rent. Partly through 
his recommendation, no doubt, we w r ere successful 
from the beginning. I have never in my life been 
more kindly treated than by Messrs. Colby and Rich 
of the " Banner of Light ; " and I am glad to acknowl- 
edge our* success was very largely owing to their kind- 
ness, which has continued through our darkest hours. 

About this time I experienced a new development 
of mediumship. I became what is called a "flower 
medium." It came in this way : — 

Major H. C. Dane, a gentleman well known in Bos- 
ton, who was interested in Spiritualism, and thereby 
somewhat in us as mediums, said one day at a seance, 
"I have been hearing about Mrs. Thayer (the cele- 
brated flower medium) . Do spirits ever bring flowers 
to you V 

" No : they never have." 

" I think they would," he said, "if we should ask 
them. Let us try." 

So we closed the doors and windows, and sat round 
a table in the centre of the room, in total darkness. 
Soon we got raps upon the table, then views on the 



34 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

m 

wall, of beautiful forms and colors changing like those 
in a kaleidoscope. These manifestations continued 
for perhaps half an hour. 

We were then told to join our hands on the table, 
one over the other, so as to form a pyramid, or sort of 
living voltaic pile, and to sing. I was then told to 
make a mental request, which I did, and immediately 
felt something fall upon my arm. 

u Shall we strike a light?" I asked. Three raps 
answered, " Yes." 

Major Dane lit the gas ; and there lay on # the table 
the loveliest calla-lily I ever saw, with a stalk eighteen 
inches long, and two great leaves. 

Major Dane burst into tears, and, taking a memo- 
randum-book from his pocket, opened to one of its 
pages, and gave it to me to read. It was a communi- 
cation from his departed wife. It said in substance, 
" You are to become acquainted with a medium through 
whom I can come to you, and I will some time bring 
you a lily." 

One day a gentleman, an entire stranger, had what 
he considered a wonderful seance with me. He did 
not tell me what had come to him ; and I, as usual, was 
entirely unconscious of what the spirits might have 
spoken through me while I was in a trance. He said 
only, "If what has been told me proves to be true, 
I will let you know what it is." Six months after, a 






A NEW HOME AND NEW MANIFESTATIONS. 35 

stranger came to see me. At least I did not recognize 
him ; but my spirit-control, " Dewdrop," did. 

When I came out of my trance, he said, " Six months 
ago I came to you disguised, so that no one should 
know me." And then he mentioned what he had said. 
I remembered it. 

"I was in Providence," he continued, " where I 
heard of you, and came to Boston to see you. I was 
interested in what seemed to me a valuable invention, 
but I did not wish you or any one to know me or 
my business. But your spirit at once discovered my 
name, my address, and my business. You described 
my invention, told me how to perfect it, and where to 
take it. You told me to take it to one Col. Cushman 
at Chicago, who, you said, would assist me to bring it 
out. 

u This was direct and specific. I had some business 
which made it convenient for me to go* to Chicago, 
and when there I inquired for Col. Cushman. I got 
acquainted with him. He helped me to bring out my 
invention ; and I made a scientific and financial success, 
for which I am largely indebted to you and the spirit 
who came to me through you." 

Here was one instance, at least, of some use in 
Spiritualism, and of a communication having some 
positive and tangible value. 

On taking leave, the gentleman thanked me warmly, 



36 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

and put in my hand an envelope, which he said con- 
tained his address. When I opened it after his de- 
parture, I found his card, and with it a bank-note of 
a hundred dollars (about £20), which was by no 
means unwelcome, but which gave me much less pleas- 
ure than his account of the success of our former 
seance. When we sat this time, " Dewdrop " came to 
us. Her first words to him were, " What have you done 
with that ivig and beard ? " 

It was, I think, in the year 1873, that we sat one 
day for flowers. It was in the same room ; and there 
were present Miss Mattie Houghton, Major Dane, and 
myself. We were sitting round a table in a faint 
light, when the raps came, and spelled out the word 
u l-i-g-h-t." Turning up the gas, we found in front 
of each person a beautiful carnation-pink, and two of 
them in the centre of the table. 

" For whom are the two flowers? " we asked. 

" Dewdrop'' said they were all given to her and 
" Winona," and they had made a fair distribution of 
them. 

We thanked the spirits, and put all the pinks in a 
vase of water. 

In another room in the same building was Mrs. 
Maggie Folsom, a test medium. Next morning she 
came to my room bringing a large bouquet of carna- 
tion-pinks. She said she had been told to leave them 



A NEW HOME AND NEW MANIFESTATIONS. 37 

in an obscure place in her room, and thought they 
might be wanted for Mrs. Thayer's seance. 

11 See," she said, ; * here are five pinks missing. You 
see the places from which they have been taken. Now 
I am going to Mrs. Thayer's to see if I can find them 
there." 

11 Maggie, perhaps you will not need to go so far," 
I said. " Come and see the pinks we had brought to 
us last night." She found that our five pinks were 
exactly like hers, and fitted the vacant places ; but how 
they came from her locked room into mine is a question 
that materialists must settle for themselves. 

On a visit to Lawrence, I called on Mrs. Wise, a lady 
who lived at Methuen, and was telling her some of these 
experiences, when a friend of hers proposed that we 
should sit together, and see if any thing would come to 
us. She was very sceptical, but not too bigoted to seek 
to know the truth. So we darkened the room, and sat, 
another lady who had called making a third sitter. 

When we had been sitting round a table a few min- 
utes, signal-raps came to tell us the seance was over. 
We opened the shutters to let in the light, and found 
sixteen white daisies lying on the table, as if some one 
had hastily grasped a handful in the fields. 

Raps came as we were expressing our surprise, and. 
when we asked who wished to talk with us, they spelled 
out " D-e-w-d-r-o-p." 



38 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

" For whom are the daisies, c Dewdrop ' ? " 

u A-n-y-b-o-d-y." 

u Where did you get them? " 

" M-a-m-m-a W-e-b-s-t-e-r's." 

.On going home I found my dear mother in great 
perturbation. 

" What is the matter, mamma dear? " I asked. 

" Oh ! my beautiful pots of daisies on the veranda," 
she said, "that I have watered so carefully. Some 
ruffianly little wretch has stolen nearly all of them." 

" That's very mean," I said. But we made an ex- 
amination, and found that the daisies brought to us 
fitted the broken stalks in my mother's plundered 
flower-pots. 

These were slight things compared with some which 
came to my .knowledge. Mrs. Thayer sitting with 
Madame Blavatsky had birds brought from Phila- 
delphia to Boston, some four hundred miles distance. 
One day we met Mrs. Thayer when we wereT out walk- 
ing, and arranged to have a seance with her the same 
evening. My mother was with me, and the table at 
which we sat was covered with flowers. I think there 
w r as a bushel of them brought into our closed and 
darkened room ; but we thought it very strange that 
there were none for mamma. 

" Let us put out the light again," said Mrs. Thayer. 
"I think the influence is not exhausted." We put 
out the light, and in a moment mamma cried out, — 



A NEW HOME AND NEW MANIFESTATIONS. 89 

"Oh! there is something so cold and wet in my 
hand. Why, I believe it is my bird ! " 

" It is not your bird," said Mrs. Thayer. " A spirit 
who says her name is Susie, daughter of Dr. Smith, 
has brought for her father some moss and a pebble 
from her grave. She says, c Take it to him with my 
love. If he will examine my grave, he will see whence 
the moss and pebble were taken.' " 

"We lighted the gas. Close to one of mamma's hands 
was a little yellow canary-bird, and in the other a piece 
of wood-moss and a pebble. 

Dr. Smith lived with us. He had buried a beloved 
daughter Susan ; and her grave was a hundred miles 
away, in the State of Maine. On her grave he had 
formed a large letter S. with pebbles, and filled in 
the interstices with moss. He was so impressed with 
the circumstances of the seance, and the message to 
him, that he carried pebble and moss to his daughter's 
grave, where he found two spaces in the S. which the 
pebble and the moss he carried with him exactly filled. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

REMARKABLE TESTS AND SPECIAL PROVIDENCES. 

All this time my husband was giving seances, as 
I was also. He was sought by some, I by others. 
His control, " Winona," faithfully served or used him, 
as u Dewdrop " served and used me; and both were 
quite sufficiently employed by our numerous visitors. 

A Mr. Low residing at Chelsea, a suburb of Bos- 
ton, came pretty regularly to Mr. Fletcher for seances, 
and was anxious to get materializations. u Winona " 
told him what to do as a preparation for such mani- 
festations, — as to the purification of his body by 
bathing, a simple, pure diet, and the avoidance of any 
hurtful indulgences. 

" Go where you please for materializations," said 
u Winona." " Don't tell me where, but tell me when, 
you are going, and I will tell you what I will try to 
do." , So she fixed upon the kind of dress she would 
materialize in, and some things she would do, such as 
carrying flowers to persons present ; then, meeting him 
after he had this seance, with some to us unknown 
40 



REMARKABLE TESTS. 41 

medium, for materializations, coming to Mr. Fletcher, 
she would tell him every particular. These things were 
perfect tests of the genuineness of these manifesta- 
tions. 

Spirits out of their earthly bodies, with all their 
extraordinary powers, seem to have much the same 
characters and dispositions as in the matter-enveloped 
earth-life. Of course this must be the case, as their 
feelings, thoughts, and will constitute their personality. 

Now, my little spirit-friend " Dewdrop " was as fond 
of Mr. Low as was Mr. Fletcher's friend u Winona ; " 
and they were naturally a little jealous of each other. 

One day " Dewdrop" said to Mr. Low, "I am 
going to weave the most beautiful scarf in colors to- 
night. I shall wear it round my waist, and I will twine 
it all about you." But at the seance, instead of " Dew- 
drop " there came " Winona," wearing a colored scarf, 
who walked up to him, and said, u Mr. Low, I like 
you perzackly as well as ' Dewdrop • does : so I thought 
I would come and do the scarf instead." 

As she lifted the scarf over his head to twine it about 
him, "Dewdrop" whisked out of the cabinet, snatched 
the scarf from u Winona," and twined it round and 
round Mr. Low. " Dewdrop's " revenge was to carry 
off a bouquet which Mr. Low had brought for " Wi- 
nona." 

Next morning Mr. Low came to see Mr. Fletcher ; 



42 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

but, finding him absent, he asked to have a sitting with 
me. "Dewdrop" came, and complained bitterly of 
"■Winona." 

64 I don't care if she is a spirit : she is a thief ! " 

" Why, Dewey dear," said Mr. Low, " what strong 
language ! " 

" Well, I know that ' Winona ' is j^our favorite ; but 
if she had stolen your scarf, as she did mine, you would 
call her a thief. And the worst of it is, I took her 
flowers and dematerialized them, and now she has got 
them in the spirit-world ; for in that world we ahvays 
get ivhat belongs to us I 

" I was awfully angry at 4 Winona ' at first ; but one 
of the bright spirits came, and said, ' What you in the 
earth-life call mistakes are penances enforced upon you 
for wrong doing, and generally result in restoring the 
rights of those you have injured. ' " 

Sitting one day with a stranger, I experienced a cold 
shivering, and said to him, " You must go at once and 
take her body out of the ice. It is detaining her spirit, 
and subjecting it to horrible suffering. She cannot 
speak to you. She says it don't matter about carrying 
her body home : she would sooner be buried at Mount 
Auburn. Never again put the body of any recently 
deceased friend in ice. It is torturing to the spirit be- 
fore it is finally released.'* 

The seance lasted not more than ten minutes ; and, 



REMARKABLE TESTS. 43 

when I came to myself, the gentleman said, " You 
have never seen me before." 

"No." 

"I know it, because I left this country when you 
were a child. I have heard enough in these few min- 
utes to perfectly convince me of the truth of Spirit- 
ualism." 

He had formerly resided in Massachusetts, where 
he had married. Some years before, he had removed 
to Wisconsin, where his wife had just died. He had 
her body packed in ice, and came with it to Boston. 
Leaving the corpse at the station, he came to consult 
a medium to see if he could come into communication 
with his wife, and ask her where she wished her body 
to be buried. 

I do not give the names of persons who visited me 
as a medium, unless I have good reason to believe 
they will not object to such publicity. 

One of my frequent, visitors at this time was Mr. 
George Proctor, the editor of the "Gloucester (Massa- 
chusetts) Advertiser." One day a spirit who gave 
the name of " Lucy " came to him, and begged him 
to go to her father and mother at Gloucester, and give 
them a message from her ; and, to convince them of 
her identity, he was to tell them from her certain par- 
ticulars, — as when and in what way she died, and 
what arrangements were made for her funeral. She 



44 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

said they were not Spiritualists : but she wished them 
to know that the old home and her dear parents were 
sweet to her, and that she begged them not to shut 
their door against her, or grieve for her, or think of 
her as dead ; for the grief of friends on the earth 
marred the happiness of the spirit-life. 

On his return to Gloucester, Mr. Proctor found 
Lucy's parents, gave them her message, and, to his 
own satisfaction, learned the accuracy of all the par- 
ticulars given him. 

Another gentleman from Gloucester, Mr. Robert 
Tibbets, who came to me an entire stranger, got some 
very convincing tests. At his first sitting, the spirit 
of a young girl who called herself "Maggie" came, 
and, speaking by my lips, said to him, — 

U I lived in Gloucester, not far from your home; 
and my father, whom you knew well, was drowned 
when sailing in a vessel in which you were interested. 
He left my mamma very poor ; and she has no fire 
and no food, and is very ill. I have prayed that I 
might help her. I went to her last night. She thought 
she had been dreaming. I said, i Mamma, cheer up. 
Papa and I will manage to help you.' 

"-Now, I want you to go to my mamma. She lives 
at (giving street and number) , and tell her that Maggie 
sent you. Tell her she is a mediftn ; and, if she will 
try to believe, I shall be able to show myself to her, 



REMARKABLE TESTS. 45 

as I did last Dight. Give her ray love, and tell her 
that papa and I, under the care of her guardian angels, 
will see that she never wants." 

This gentleman, an old and honored resident of 
Gloucester, on his return went at once to the address 
given him to carry out Maggie's commission. It was 
in one of the poorest quarters of the town ; and he 
found the poor woman exactly as described, — ill in 
bed, suffering from cold, with no food, or fire, or hope. 
He sat down by the bed to further u try the spirits." 

"You seem very badly off, my poor woman," he 
said. 

" Yes. My husband was drowned at sea, and I had 
no other help. I took in washing, and managed to 
get on while my daughter lived. She gathered the 
clothes, and carried them home for me ; but when she 
died, three months ago, my health failed, and I have 
come to this. 

" Sir, do you believe in angels? I do. Last night 
my little Maggie came to me in my dreams. But God 
must have permitted it. She said, ' Cheer up, darling 
mother. Papa and I will help you.' " 

From that day until her death, eighteen months 
afterward, this friend took care that Maggie's mother 
wanted for nothing. 

Maggie had said to him, " Every penny you give to 
mamma shall be returned to you tenfold." And from 



46 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that day he said that he prospered more than ever, 
and every thing he touched seemed to turn to gold. 

One day a gentleman called upon us, and asked if 
we knew the address of a certain medium he wished 
to find. We did not even know her name. 

That night there came some signal-raps ; and in 
answer to our questions, when we called over the 
letters of the alphabet, the raps spelled out, — 

" I am * Honto,' and I belong to Mrs. . 

" Oh, you are c Honto ! ' " I said. u Then, perhaps 
you will be so kind as to give me your medium's 
address for a gentleman who has been inquiring for 
her to-day." 

" Honto " rapped out the required address, and also 
this message to us : — 

u Take this money to my medium, who is in great 
need, and tell the gentleman who asked for her address 
to-day, that his money has not been stolen by one of 
the servants, as he supposes, but that we have taken 
it from his purse ; and if he will call upon my medium 
to-morrow, at four o'clock, he shall have the money 
returned to him. Take this money to my medium at 
once, and you shall have the explanation of our appar- 
ently strange proceedings." 

As this message was finished, a twenty-dollar bank- 
note fell upon the carpet at our feet. 

We wrote at once to the gentleman, giving him the 



REMARKABLE TESTS. 47 

address he sought, and " HontoV message, and then 
called a carriage, and drove to the residence of the 
medium. On our arrival we found a cart before the 
door. The poor medium had been unable to pay her 
rent, and the cart had come to take away her furniture. 
The money we had brought her paid the rent, and the 
cart went empty away. The much-relieved woman 
told us that she had written to her friends for help, 
but for some reason had got no answer. But the 
expected letter and help came before the gentleman 
from whom " Honto " had borrowed the money called, 
as requested. She handed him the money ; but, now 
that he knew her situation, he refused to receive it. 

Such special providences are managed by our spirit- 
friends in multitudes of cases in which we do not sus- 
pect their agency. 

There are a few instances which I remember ; but a 
multitude, marked by no special circumstance, have 
faded from my mind. It is easy to see how I should 
remember such a case as that of Mr. Wilson, Vice- 
President of the United States. On his last visit to 
Boston, he came to consult Mr. Fletcher about his 
health. The controlling spirits gave him a diagnosis 
of his case, and told him that he could not remain six 
months longer in this life, unless he retired from all 
active work. To make their advice more impressive, 
they gave him some striking tests, showing their knowl- 
edge of some details of his life. 



48 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Wilson, a grand, self-made man, of whom Mas- 
sachusetts was and is justly proud, said to me, — 

" Well, Mrs. Fletcher, I suppose I must go and make 
my will. I don't know why I should try to stay here. 
There seems to be a great deal more of reality in the 
spirit- world than in this. Heaven is full of certainties, 
and for me death has no terrors." 

These were the last words I heard him utter. In 
three months he had gone to test the realities of the 
world of spirits. 

It was, I think, in 1875 that a stranger came to me 
for a medical diagnosis, — a tall, strong man, who 
seemed to be possessed of considerable magnetic power. 
He was, I found, employed as a medical rubber by a 
gentleman on Beacon Hill, Boston, who had been given 
up by his physicians. The diagnosis given by my 
spirit-guides quite differed from that of the physicians ; 
but, as " doctors disagree," we need not be surprised 
when spirits differ from doctors. The medical rubber 
was directed how to treat his patient. He was told to 
use magnetized water and magnetized paper, and was 
shown how to magnetize them. Under these instruc- 
tions he became a strong, effective magnetizer, or mes- 
merist ; and his patient in a few weeks — I think 
three weeks — happily recovered. For three months 
I examined the cases of his patients, and gave, or 
rather the spirits gave through me, directions for their 



REMARKABLE TESTS. 49 

treatment ; for which I received no compensation but 
that of being the means of relieving suffering, which 
is the best of all. 

This mesmeric healer whose work I thus assisted 
was the James McGeary, alias u Doctor Mack," who 
afterward became one of the most virulent of my per- 
secutors, and whose name, as of one returning evil for 
good, must, to my great regret, often appear in the 
course of this narrative. 



.CHAPTER IX. 

MR. FLETCHER VISITS EGYPT AND PALESTINE, AND WE 
SETTLE IN LONDON. 

We had taken the house No. 7 Montgomery Place 
until January, 1876, where we went on, day by day, 
with our interesting but arduous work, which lasted all 
day, and often deep into the night, and which, by 
bringing us into contact with so many and often so 
discordant spheres, and with persons in various states 
of physical weakness and nervous disorder, wore upon 
us. I bore it better than my husband, having a more 
vigorous constitution. The worry of family troubles, 
to which I have made allusion, hurt him more, perhaps, 
than his work. New-England winters are very severe. 
His lungs and heart were affected, and his life was 
despaired of. 

On the 7th of January, 1877, "Winona" came to 
me, and said, " You had better get my medium's box 
ready. He is going to London." This announcement 
was a surprise to me. I could not credit it. Mr. 
Fletcher seemed too ill to travel. But "Winona " per- 
50 



MR. FLETCHER VISITS EGYPT. 51 

sisted in her assertion. " I tell you it is all that will 
save his life," she said; " and you must pack his 
box." 

When Mr. Fletcher came out of the trance in which 
he had been speaking for " Winona," I told him what 
she had said. He laughed at the idea, and said it was 
" some of her nonsense." "I am as likely to take a 
trip to the moon as to London." 

On the 8th of January, at about ten a.m., Mr. George 
Smith, a friend of ours, called to say good-by to us. 
He said, "lam going with my family to London." I 
told him what " Winona " had said, and suggested 
that she had made a mistake, and meant him instead 
of Mr. Fletcher. He said he had not known that he 
was going himself until the previous clay. 

That evening he brought his wife to say good-by to 
us. We four had a farewell seance. The spirits in- 
sisted that my husband should go to England. Our 
friends wanted to take him with them. 

"Are you willing to let him go?" they asked me. 
" Let us know in the morning." 

So we discussed the matter seriously between our- 
selves and also with our spirit-friends. There was the 
risk to an invalid of a winter-voyage. It was very 
hard to think of parting with him. But the spirits said 
he must go, that it would save his life, and that, more- 
over, he had a great work to do in England. 



52 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

At ten a.m. on the 9th of January, our friend Mr. 
Smith eame for his answer. I packed my husband's 
trunk, and on the 10th he left for London. They had 
a good voyage ; travelled together over the Continent, 
and went to Egypt, and thence to Jerusalem and the 
Holy Land ; and Mr. Fletcher was treated by these ex- 
cellent friends with unremitting kindness. The change, 
the securing of rest, the strange and interesting coun- 
tries, and the soft, dry atmosphere and sunshine of 
Egypt and Palestine, restored his health. 

While in Egypt, Mr. Smith, one day while out walk- 
ing, lost a packet which he carried in the breast- 
pocket of his coat, containing a considerable sum of 
money in Bank-of -England notes. He missed the 
packet when he came to the hotel, but had no idea 
how or where he had lost it. He said nothing about it, 
but soon after proposed to have a seance. u Winona" 
came, and said to him, u Mr. Smith, you are awfully 
worried about something. I know what it is. You 
have lost some money. Don't fret about it. I will 
find it, and bring it to you." 

After the seance Mr. Smith went to bed, and found 
the packet of money under his pillow. This did not 
in the least lessen our obligations to our good friends ; 
but I think it had a pleasant effect on all of us, which 
the reader perhaps can appreciate better than I can 
describe. 



MR. FLETCHER VISITS EGYPT, 53 

Spiritualists are often asked what is the use of 
spirit-manifestations. The first and highest and all- 
important use is to prove that spirits exist, that Spiritu- 
alism is a reality, that there is no truth in materialism, 
that we are all to live on, and to show at least the 
probability that we are to live forever. Spirits may 
show us the means of health ; they are often able to 
assuage our pains, and cure our diseases ; in various 
ways they console and comfort us ; they not seldom 
contribute to our material prosperity. But what are 
all these things to the demonstrations they are able to 
give us of the sublime fact of individual immortality ! 

In May, 1877, Mr. Fletcher returned to London, 
where he was told he must stay, and do his work. He 
took rooms in Southampton Row, and began to give 
free stances; but the crowd that came to him soon 
compelled him to fix a price. u The laborer is worthy 
of his hire ; " and " they who serve the altar must live 
by the altar." If lawyers, doctors, and clergymen 
are paid, why not mediums? 

As soon as he was settled to his work in London, 
Mr. Fletcher urged me to come to him ; but I thought 
it better to wait until there was some assurance of 
success. He might return to Boston : there was the 
risk of failure. But in June he telegraphed to me to 
" Come." And very shortly afterward I joined him ; 
and we lived at No. 2 Vernon Place, Bloomsbury, 
London. 



5-i TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

The " Spiritualist," a weekly paper which for years 
did much good service "to the cause of Spiritualism, 
and which also did us good service for a time, and 
then turned, with a great, and to me unaccountable, 
bitterness against us, announced in its issue of May 
11, 1877, that "Next Monday week Mr. Fletcher, 
trance-medium, of the United States, will give a trance- 
address for the first time in this country in public, at 
one of Mrs. Weldon's weekly concerts at the Lang- 
ham Hall, Portland Place, London." 

The same paper of May 18, 1877, said, "If, in- 
stead of a trance-address, Mr. Fletcher could give to 
a large audience the evidence of spirit identity which 
he does to a small one, he would awaken considerable 
interest." 

These evidences were soon given, not only to large 
audiences in Langham Hall and the Cavendish Eooms, 
but afterward to the still larger ones at Steinway 
Hall. Nearly every number of the "Spiritualist" 
during the year 1877 contained reports of public ad- 
dresses or private seances given by Mr. Fletcher, and 
the highest possible testimony to the genuineness and 
value of his manifestations. 

Brought into a circle of twelve or fifteen persons, — 
all strangers to him, some foreigners, or persons from 
distant parts of England, — he passed quickly into the 
trance-condition, and, controlled by " Winona," gave 



MR. FLETCHER VISITS EGYPT. 55 

to each, in turn, the most convincing evidences of the 
personal presence and identity of their departed friends. 
The same was done for many persons also, under the 
probably more difficult conditions of a large audience 
in a public hall. 

The first public lectures or trance-addresses, after 
those at Mrs. WTeldon's concerts, were given in the 
Cavendish Rooms, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square. 
Later, these meetings were continued in Steinway 
Hall, a larger place, in a more fashionable locality, 
near Portman Square. 



CHAPTER X. 

22 GORDON STREET, AND MRS. HART-DAVIES. 

Early in the spring of 1879, needing more room 
and better accommodations than we were able to find 
in lodgings, we took a lease of a good house (but by- 
no means the "palatial mansion" it has been called 
in the newspapers), No. 22 Gordon Street, Gordon 
Square. It seemed to us central, accessible, and 
healthy ; the many neighboring squares giving us a 
purer air than is found in many parts of London. 

It is proper for me to say here, that I had never 
been a professional medium in London. I gave seances 
only to intimate friends. Only once had I spoken in 
public, — at the celebration of the Anniversary of 
Spirtualism, at the Cavendish Rooms, April 2, 1879. 

Among the public testimonies to the reality of Mr. 
Fletcher's mediumship, and the value of its manifesta- 
tions, that of Mr. Alfred Russell Wallace, the cele- 
brated naturalist, will be to many persons of the highest 
interest. In the " Spiritualist " of Jan. 25, 1878, Mr. 
Wallace says, "My first sitting with Mr. Fletcher, a 
56 



22 GORDON STREET. 57 

few weeks ago, carried to my mind a fuller con- 
viction OF THE REALITY OF SPIJUT-LIFE THAN ALL THE 
PHYSICAL PHENOMENA I HATE EVER WITNESSED.' ' 

It was such testimony as this, from a man of the 
highest scientific reputation since the death of Charles 
Darwin in England, which should -have been given to 
the jury that found a verdict of guilty against us both 
at the Old Bailey. Mr. Wallace and a score of wit- 
nesses besides — of similar character, and some of 
almost equal reputation — would have given similar 
evidence. My feed defenders, for reasons best known 
to themselves, refused to call them. And that was 
called a trial, in which my witnesses were uncalled, 
and I was condemned unheard. But I am getting in 
advance of my story, and must try to be patient to the 
end. 

The Sunday evening meetings at Steinway Hall were 
very successful, perhaps too successful. It was a sur- 
prise to the public that we should be admitted into a 
place so elegant and so aristocratic. The Hall was at 
first refused ; but influence enough was brought to bear 
to induce the proprietors to reconsider the matter, and 
we had ever after their cordial co-operation. The An- 
niversary of Spiritualism was celebrated there during 
the progress of my trial in 1881. 

I come now to the most painful, but most necessary : 
portion of my story, — the events which led to our 



58 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

prosecution and trial, and my imprisonment. Painful 
as they are in many ways, justice demands that they 
should be faithfully and fully related. The public has 
had one side of the story, published in all the news- 
papers. I have to give, as best I can, the other side 
of that story. If any editor of any newspaper in Eng- 
land takes the least notice of my side of the story, or 
even admits that there is another story than that given 
to the public on my " trial," conviction, and sentence, 
and in the leading articles that echoed and amplified 
the sentence, I shall be very happily disappointed. 

I make my appeal fo the sense of justice, said to be 
so strong in Englishmen, with but little hope, because 
so far I have had so little evidence of its existence. 

In April, 1879, after we had taken the house No. 22 
Gordon Street, of which we were to have possession 
on the 25th of June, a Mr. Hart-Davies, residing at 
Farquhar Lodge, Upper Norwood, who had been advised 
by some friends to consult Mr. Fletcher, came to him, 
and asked him to visit his wife, who was an invalid 
requiring treatment ; and, as she was too ill to come to 
Gordon Street, he engaged Mr. Fletcher to go and see 
her twice a week at Farquhar Lodge, for which the 
price was to be three guineas per visit. 

He went at the time appointed, and found a pale, 
delicate-looking lady, with a highly nervous organiza- 



22 GORDON STREET. 59 

tion, who appeared to take a great interest in Spirit- 
ualism, and told him that she had been in the habit 
of seeing angels or departed spirits from her childhood, 
and that she often held sweet communion with her 
departed mother. 

Mr. Fletcher made a clairvoyant examination of her 
case ; and she felt so much benefited by his magnetic 
or mesmeric treatment, that she begged him to come 
and see her every day, instead of twice a week, as 
arranged for with her husband. 

Mr. Fletcher did not see any need of such frequent 
visits, as they would interfere with his other engage- 
ments, and told her that it would be better that he 
should come twice a week, which he continued to do 
until the middle of June. 

At Mr. Fletcher's ^peond visit to Mrs. Hart-Davies 
she told him of her domestic difficulties. She said she 
was very unhappy. She was not living with her 
husband as his wife : they were virtually separated ; 
because, from his past and present habits and his 
debilitated condition, he could not be her husband. 
Entering very fully upon her personal history, of 
which, as we found later on, she made no secret, she 
told him how her mother had forced her, at the age of 
sixteen, to marry a man whom she detested, by whom 
she had one child, and whom she left on account of his 
immoralities. Her boy, she said, had inherited the 



60 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

bad traits of his father, and was so entirely beyond 
her control, that she had allowed his father to take 
charge of him. 

We found, later on, that much of this story was 
false, and that her first husband had sued for a divorce 
from her as an adulteress ; which suit had been de- 
cided in his favor. 

In Mrs. Hart-Davies' conversations with my hus- 
band she expressed a strong desire to see me, because 
he was doing her so much good. Mr. Fletcher told 
her that I made no visits. She then asked permission 
to write to me, and did write nearly every day until 
June. She often sent me flowers, and wished me to 
consider her a personal friend in whom I was also 
interested. Naturally I felt a sympathy for one who 
had suffered so much, and I ws glad that my hus- 
band was treating her so successfully that she seemed 
to be steadily gaining in health from every visit he 
made her. 

About the middle of June Mr. Hart-Davies invited 
me to dine with them, and spend the day* Mrs, Hart- 
Davies telegraphed the same invitation to us, which 
we accepted. He met us at the station, and attended 
upon me to Farquhar Lodge, where I for the first time 
saw Mrs. Hart-Davies. She warmly embraced me, 
expressed her gratitude for Mr. Fletcher's treatment 
and all his kindness to her, and said and did every 



22 GORDON STKEET. 61 

thing she could to show her friendly feelings to us 
both. There was a fete at the Crystal Palace, where 
we spent the clay, and dined ; and as there was a great 
crowd, and it began to rain, we accepted an invitation 
to spend the night with our hosts at Farquhar Lodge. 

The next day (Sunday) Mr. and Mrs. Ha-rt-Davies 
came into town, and went with us to Mr. Fletcher's 
lecture, at Steinway Hall. By this time Mrs. Hart- 
Davies and I had had a good deal of conversation 
together. I found her intelligent and accomplished, 
and have seldom taken so much interest in any one of 
whom I had known so little. From circumstances in 
my own past experience I could sympathize with her 
in some of her troubles. I pitied her misfortunes, — 
deserted or abused by all her friends and relatives, 
living so uncomfortably with her husband, and in 
every way so desolate. 

I wished to help her, and make her life more pleas- 
ant to her. She begged that she might come and see 
us often in London. I was too much occupied to see 
her always, but did see her about twice a week. Both 
Mr. and Mrs. Hart-Davies became seat-holders at Stein- 
way Hall, and regular attendants at the Sunday meet- 
ings. 

Mr. Fletcher was also, at this time, giving lectures 
at Mrs. Weldon's Institution for Orphans at Tavistock 
House, formerly the residence of Charles Dickens, 



62 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

where Mrs. Hart-Da vies also went ; so that I saw her 
about four times a week. 

She seemed to become more and more attached to 
us, more and more fond of both of us. She talked 
with me very freely about her domestic troubles. 
She made bitter complaints of her second and pres- 
ent husband, who, she said, was an ignoramus ; who 
had squandered his money ; who had pawned her 
jewels, and spent the proceeds in debauchery ; who 
drank to excess ; and who was in no way fit to be her 
husband. 

I was surprised and shocked at some of these reve- 
lations. I wondered how she could ever have married 
a man so little suited to her position, education, and 
habits. She said that she had hastily, inconsiderate- 
ly married him for pity, and not for love. He was 
madly in love with her, and she was very desolate. 
She had sacrificed herself for him. 

Afterward I heard another and a very different 
stoiy, of the truth of which I shall give the necessary 
proofs. While living with her first husband in South 
America, she became acquainted with a young Swedish 
engineer, with whom she became very intimate. After 
her return to England, and after her divorce, — in re- 
spect to which he was not the co-respondent, — she 
wrote to him that she had come into a great property, 
and had many offers of marriage, but that she wished 



22 GORDON STREET. 63 

to know if he still loved her. Her friend replied in 
substance that he was not a marrying man. She in- 
vited him, however, to come and see her at Hampton 
Court ; and he accepted her invitation. 

One question must come into the mind of every 
reader, as it has so often into mine : — 

Why had I no warning, no perception, no revelation, 
of the real character of this woman? Why did not 
our guardian spirits tell us all about her, as they did 
about so many others? It is easy to ask such ques- 
tions, and impossible to answer them. 

"There's a divinity that shapes our ends, 
Rough-hew thern how we will." 

We are protected from some misfortunes ; others fall 
upon us. We are guided and guarded ; but great 
calamities, or what seem to be such, come upon us 
without warning. My husband and I were both fas- 
cinated with this woman ; and neither of us had any 
perception of her real character, nor were we in any 
way warned against her. Our guardian spirits were 
either as much blinded as we, or they were prevented, 
for a time, from giving us any information. 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE STORY OF THE JEWELS AND THE DEED OF GIFT. 

One night when I was ill, and not able to go to 
the lecture at Tavistock House, Mr. Fletcher returned 
with a bouquet from Mrs. Hart-Davies, around which 
she had tied a lace handkerchief which had belonged 
to her mother, with this message: " Tell Bertie that 
I am mamma's little carrier-pigeon, and that I send 
this handkerchief and these flowers with mamma's 
love and mine." 

This was the first present of any value she had 
made me, and for this there was an obvious reason. 
Up to this time she had paid Mr. Fletcher only five 
pounds for all his visits to her upon the agreement to 
pay him three guineas a week ; and this five pounds 
was all the money she ever paid. 

Soon after sending the bouquet she came to see me, 
and expressed great sympathy with me in my illness. 
After some expressions of affection she said, "Will 
you do me a great favor? I have not been able to 
pay Mr. Fletcher the money I owe him for %U his 
64 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. 65 

visits and his kindness to me ; but I want to give 
you something I prize very much, that belonged to 
mamma." 

Saying this, she took from her pocket a box con- 
taining a necklace of amethysts. They were of no 
great value, but were accepted in kindness, as they 
were offered. This was, I think, in the month of Jul}' ; 
and up to this time the only jewels of hers I had ever 
seen were a heart-shaped pendant of diamonds, and 
ear- jewels to match, which she frequently wore. 

On the night that Mr. Fletcher brought me the 
bouquet and lace handkerchief from Tavistock House, 
he said that Mr. and Mrs. Hart-Davies were going to 
leave Farquhar Lodge because they could not afford 
to keep it, and that Mrs. Hart-Davies had told him 
that she had an extensive wardrobe which had belonged 
to her mother, which was packed in boxes, and some 
furs, which would spoil if packed ; but if she could 
only find some friend who had house-room, «o as to 
keep them for her, she would be glad to leave them. 

"We had plenty of room, and I saw no objection to 
our taking charge of her things. There was box- 
room and a wine-cellar quite empty. The china vases, 
etc., could be placed in our rooms, and the furs 
properly taken care of. 

She came to see us in a few days, when we arranged 
what was to be done to protect the clothing from 



66 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

damp, the furs from moths, and how the china should 
be placed so that she could see it when she called. I 
consented to take charge of her things on the condition 
that I should not be held responsible for loss or dam- 
age. She wrote a paper which held me free from any 
responsibility for careless servants, fire, or thieves ; and 
I consented to receive and store her things. Nothing- 
was said of jewels, and I had no knowledge of any 
but those I have mentioned. 

About the last of July she seemed ill, and had a 
cough. A weakness of the chest had compelled her 
for several years to spend the winters in a warmer 
climate. She complained of her husband's drinking, 
and his cruel treatment of her. In the first week in 
August she came, and said she had been frightfully ill, 
and believed that her husband had attempted to poison 
her. He was deeply in debt, she said. He had bor- 
rowed all the money he could of his brother, and had 
pawned -some of her valuable jewels for two hundred 
and fifty pounds, and still needed two hundred pounds 
more, and was teasing her for more jewels ; but she 
had refused to let him have them. The night before, 
he had come home in a state of intoxication, and 
brought her a glass of port wine. She drank it, and 
was violently ill all night, — so much so, that she sus- 
pected poison, and found a white sediment in the 
glass. He sat in his room all night, intoxicated ; 
and he allowed an escape of gas in the hall. 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. 67 

She declared that she could not and would not 
endure this horrible life any longer : she would sepa- 
rate herself from her husband, and was determined to 
leave Farquhar Lodge. 

A few days after this conversation I received a 
note from her, asking me to come to her at Farquhar 
Lodge. Not feeling able to accept the invitation, I 
asked Mr. Fletcher to write to her. I soon received a 
telegram from Mr. Hart-Davies, saying that his wife 
was very ill, and begging me to come and see her. 

I went as quickly as possible. She said her hus- 
band had been drunk again, and had treated her most 
brutally. He had even beaten her, she said : he had 
actually struck her three times. 

I was probably too credulous in believing these 
stories. Mr. Hart-Davies had always seemed to me 
a good-natured fellow, and very devoted to his wife. 
Her greatest complaint against him was, that his vices 
had reduced him to a condition of physical weakness 
that made him an unsatisfactory husband. Looking 
back upon the case, I can have no doubt that she was 
a victim of a disease of quite a different nature, and 
which sometimes gives great trouble to plrysicians. 

Before receiving the articles which Mrs. Hart-Davies 
wished us to store for her, we required that her hus- 
band, as the real owner of all his wife's property, 
should either call upon us, or write and ask us to 



68 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

receive it. He wrote and also called, and said he 
had heard of the arrangement, and would consider it 
a great kindness. We showed him the box-room and 
empty wine-cellar, and he seemed very grateful for 
our kindness to his wife. 

This visit was on or about the 1st of August, 1879. 
About the middle of August, Mrs. Hart-Davies came, 
bringing a small travelling-bag, and said to me, " Mrs- 
Fletcher, I am going to ask a great favor of you. I 
want to make my will. I love you both better than 
anybody in this world. I have brought some things 
I wish to give you, not only for the love I bear j~ou 
both, but because I want what I have to go for the 
support of Spiritualism, and to help your work. If 
you will accept of this free offering, you will be doing 
me the greatest possible favor." 

I thanked her for her good feeling to us an# to our 
work ; but I said, " My dear, you have other persons 
to consider. There is your son." 

u He is abundantly provided for. His father is 
immensely rich." 

" But there is your brother and his wife." 

" He is an equal heir with me to nry mother's prop- 
erty, and his wife I detest. I could never rest in my 
grave if she had any thing that belonged to mamma. 
Besides, the jewels are not safe in the house. I have 
no peace about them." 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. G9 

" But," I said, u wo have no safe. Our house might 
be robbed at any time. The best thing to do is for 
you to put them in some bank for safe-keeping." 

"That is not what I want. If I live, I want to 
share the jewels with you, as if we were two sisters ; 
and if I die I want you to have them." 

Then she opened her bag, and showed me the jewels. 

"How do you know," I asked, "whether your 
mamma would like to have you give them tome?" 

She said she had had a vision the night before, in 
which her mother had appeared to her, and expressed 
her wishes. 

I said, "Come, here is a good chance for a test. 
Mr. Fletcher knows nothing about them. Let's put 
the bag away, and call for him. If your mamma will 
come, we shall see what she has to say about it." 

I sent for Mr. Fletcher. He came, and soon went 
into a trance ; and Mrs. Hart-Davies recognized her 
mother as the spirit speaking through him, and said, — 

" You came to me last night, mamma." 

"Yes, my child." 

" Do you approve of what I wish to do, mamma? " 

"My child, the jewels are your own to do with as 
you please, — to let your husband have them, to throw 
into the street, to give as you wish. They are abso- 
lutely yours." 

Mrs. Hart-Davies then brought out the jewels as 



70 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

she testified at my trial, and laid them on Mr. Fletch- 
er's lap. He, still controlled by the spirit of her 
mother, took up the jewels one by one, examined 
them, gave the names of their makers, saying, " I got 
this from" such a one; and gave, in short, a series 
of marvellous tests, which only a Spiritualist, or one 
who has witnessed such manifestations, can under- 
stand. 

When Mr. Fletcher came out of his trance, the 
jewels were still lying in his lap ; and she told him, as 
she had told me, what she wished to do with them/ 
He said, " It is very good of you to wish to give them 
to Bertie, but of course she cannot accept such a 
gift. If you choose to wear them together, I see no 
objection, only that we have no safe place to keep 
them." But he left the matter to me, and Mrs. Hart- 
Davies insisted on leaving the bag in my keeping. 

A short time before this, Mrs. Hart-Davies had 
spoken to me about some difficulty she had about some 
property in New York, and asked me if I knew any 
American lawyer who would understand about it. I 
told her that Mr. Morton, a Boston lawyer who was 
then staying w 7 ith us, would know all about it. He 
was a gentleman of excellent character and good stand- 
ing, and might be able to do what she would require, 
or would know of some one in New York who would 
attend to it. I asked her to stay and dine with us, 
and be introduced to Mr. Morton. 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. (1 

Mrs. Hart-Davies staid to dinner, and became very 
friendly with Mr. Morton, whom she called upon several 
times afterward on matters of business. 

She used to wear at this period, at the Stein wa} 7 Hall 
meetings, a necklace of pearls with a diamond pendant, 
and a pair of diamond ear-rings. One day I mentioned 
that I had been invited to a dinner-party the next 
Sunday evening. On the Sunday morning her servant 
came with a little box and a note from her, which 
she had been expressly ordered to give into my own 
hands, and refused to intrust to my servant. I went 
down into the hall to receive it, and the servant left 
before I had time to read the note. It said, — 

" I send you a little souvenir of mamma and myself, 
which I beg you will wear at the dinner." 

I wrote to thank her, sa}ing I would wear the jewels 
with pleasure, but that they were much too valuable 
for me to accept as a present, and would be returned 
to her at the earliest opportunity. 

This was about the middle of August, 1879. She 
continued her interviews with Mr. Morton, of which I 
knew more than I might have done otherwise by means 
of a curious habit she had of almost never having any 
money, so that we generally had to pay her cab-fares. 

One day in the last week of August, at the end of a 
long interview with Mr. Morton, I was sent for and 
went to his study. 



72 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON 

" I have sent for you," he said, " to read to you a 
paper I have been preparing at the request of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies." And he proceeded to read the follow- 
ing deed of gift : — 

To Whomsoever it may Concern. 

Upon the death of my mother, Anne Heurtley of Hampton 
Court House, Hampton Court, County of Middlesex, England, 
she left to me, Julia Anne Theodora Hart-Davies, her daugh- 
ter, a certain quantity of jewelry for my own use and control. 
I the said Julia Anne Theodora Hart-Davies, now residing in 
London, in consideration of the love I bear to Susie Willis 
Fletcher of Boston, United States, America (now residing in 
London), and for the many kindnesses shown by her to me, 
and for other good and sufficient considerations, hereby give 
and relinquish to the said Susie Willis Fletcher the said jewels 
which my mother gave me, for her own separate use and con- 
trol, and have made this writing: first, that she may be fully 
protected in the possession of the said -jewels; secondly, that 
I have made the gift of my own free will; and, further, to say 
that she has consented to accept the jewels, only upon my 
earnest request and solicitation, and upon assurance that it is 
my earnest wish and desire she should do so. The said jewels 
were very dear to my mother, and doubly precious to me; and 
I have made the above disposition of them in full conformity 
with my own wishes, setting forth my reasons for so doing, 
not only for her protection, but also for my own; and that at 
any time, now or in the future, there may be no question as to 
the right of the said Susie Willis Fletcher to the within-named 
jewels or property; the said gift being made by me without 
any reservation, with a desire she may wear the jewels during 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. 73 

her lifetime, and make such further disposition of them as she 
may think proper. Furthermore, in view of my experience 
with trustees and other parties since the death of my mother, 
I have preferred to dispose of the property in the manner 
above indicated and during my lifetime, rather than it should 
be disposed of in a way repugnant to my own nature by those 
who might obtain possession of it upon my decease, or by dis- 
posing of it by will, as I might have done but for this gift of 
conveyance. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand 
and seal this 25th day of August, 1879. 
(Signed) 

JULIET AKNE THEODORA HART-DAYIES. 

Witness: 
Francis Morton. 

I listened to the reading of this document, and said, 
"It is very kind; but I think Mrs. Davies will get 
her health, and live to wear these jewels herself." 

With characteristic impulsiveness she knelt at my 
feet, and begged me to accept them. She said, ."I 
am going to France. I feel sure I shall not live long, 
and I shall be happy if I know that they will be used 
as I wish them to be." 

Mr. Morton, who had drawn up the paper at her 
solicitation, did not at all favor the project. He said, 
"I see a serious objection to your receiving these 
things. You are known as Spiritualists and mediums, 
and you will risk a prosecution like that of Home 
(alluding to the chancery case of Lyon vs. Home, in 



<4 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

which the well-known medium D. D. Home was or- 
dered to restore sixty thousand pounds forced upon 
him by a rich Jewish widow-lady, who, after receiving 
back the uttermost farthing of her own gifts, kept the 
rich laces which had been the property of Mr. Home's 
deceased wife) . 

u Knowing this danger," Mr. Morton continued, "I 
shall refuse to witness this deed until she has sworn 
solemnly, that in making it she has not been influ- 
enced by spirits .or mortals." 

She rose to her feet, raised her hand, and said, " I 
solemnly sivear that I have not been influenced by 
spirits or mortals." The document was then signed 
and witnessed. 

The paper was then given to me. I held it a mo- 
ment in my hand, and said, " I think Mrs. Davies will 
recover her health, and live a long time. I have no 
objection to keep these things for her if she desires 
it, but here is the paper (giving it to Mr. Morton). 
Do you keep it, so that, at any time Mrs. Davies 
wishes it to be destroyed, you can burn it." Mr. 
Morton took the paper ; and I never saw it again 
until after we were arrested in America for stealing 
these- jewels, or obtaining them by false pretences, 
when we telegraphed to Mr. Morton, who was then in 
Paris, to send over the deed of gift. 

Four days afterward I received the following letter 
from Mrs. Davies : — 



THE STORY OF THE JEWELS. To 

Upper Norwood, Aug. 29, 1879. 

Dearest Mrs. Fletcher, — After my repeated and ear- 
nest solicitation, you have very kindly and generously per- 
mitted me to send my jewels, clothes, boxes, and sundry other 
articles, etc., to your house, where you have undertaken the 
charge of their safe keeping; these said jewels, clothes, boxes, 
and sundry other articles, being my sole and absolute property, 
and free from claim or interference from my husband, or any 
other person. I am aware that I have therefore the perfect 
right to deal with them in whatever manner I may think fit. 
Dearest friend, out of gratitude for all the unselfish and ines- 
timable services of friendly kindness shown by you and your 
excellent husband repeatedly towards myself , thereby causing 
my love to reap daily blessings, I wish to notify you that it is 
my express wish and ardent desire to make over to you, as a 
humble and free gift from myself to yourself, the whole of 
the property above mentioned, and that it shall henceforth 
become by right of gift your sole and absolute property, to 
have, to hold, to enjoy, and ultimately to bequeath or dispose 
of as you shall of your own free choice deem suitable. These 
my intentions and acts I have purpose]; thus declared upon. 
paper in order to effectually preclude any risk of future hos- 
tile dispute about your possession or right to the said property, 
and as a guaranty, moreover, that the declaration made by 
me to yourself is purely voluntary, and is evolved out of a 
spirit of the deepest affection and gratitude towards yourself 
and your husband, — you, who daily labor for the happiness 
and spiritual welfare of your fellow-creatures. May God 
shower over your two lives an ever-increasing meed of divine 
benediction ! Such is the prayer of your faithful and devoted 
friend. 

^Signed) 

JULIET ANNE THEODORA HART-DAVIES. 



76 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

This letter, she falsely claimed on the trial, had 
had been written partly by herself, and partly drafted 
by Mr. Morton. He had prepared the formal body of 
the letter, which she had copied, adding, as she said, 
" the head and tail." 



CHAPTER XII. 

HOW SHE CAME TO LIVE WITH US, AND WENT TO TOURS. 

Mrs. Hart-Dayies had arranged with her husband 
to leave their residence at Upper Norwood, and come to 
London, where she had engaged apartments at Xo. 2 
Vernon Place, Bloomsbury. She wished to pack her 
wardrobe herself, but was too ill to do so, and tele- 
graphed to me to come and see that it was properly 
done. The things were hastily packed together, to be 
assorted afterward. 

They came to live in Vernon Place in September, 
1879. Mrs. Davies was ill; and I called to see her, 
and helped to settle her rooms. She came to Gordon 
Street every day, and had her magnetic treatment 
from Mr. Fletcher, always staying to luncheon or din- 
ner, or to talk with me. She was still complaining of 
her husband, who, she said, had grown so brutal, that 
she had arranged with her landlady to come herself, 
instead of the servant, if the bell was rung violently, 
as he constantly came home intoxicated. 

From the first she had wished to live with us ; her 

77 



78 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

chief reason being that Mr. Fletcher would be near 
to assist her in her frequent and sudden attacks of 
illness. But she also professed to take great interest 
in Spiritualism. In July these intimations of a desire 
to live with us had become more frequent. I told her 
that I was too much occupied to give her the attention 
she required, and that Mr. Fletcher needed all my 
care. I opposed her idea of coming to live with us, 
but it was not from dislike. I was really fond of her. 
She was a slender blonde, very affectionate, intelli- 
gent, and with many talents. She had, certainly, 
grave faults of character and manners ; but I attrib- 
uted much of these to her unhappy conditions, and 
a state of nervous disease, I pitied her very much, 
and pitied her faults as well as her misfortunes. 

One day toward the last of September she came in 
a cab, without her hat, and was shown into the draw- 
ing-room. The servant who came for me said that 
Mrs. Davies was so ill that she had taken her a cup 
of coffee. When I went to her, she seemed to be in a 
fit of hysterics. As soon as she could speak, she said 
her husband had got worse and worse until there had 
come a crisis. He had beaten her frightfully. She 
showed me her discolored wrists, and her dress almost 
torn off her. She said he had threatened to kill her, 
that she dared not go back to him, and she begged 
that she might stay with us, if only for a few days. 



HOW SHE CAME TO LIVE WITH US. 79 

I sent for Mr. Fletcher to consult with him about it. 
He said, that, if she were in clanger, of course she- 
could remain, and tried to calm her excitement. I 
thought she was nervously excited, and had exagger- 
ated the matter, and proposed to go home with her. 
However, she staid to dinner, and seemed much better. 
The servants noticed the improvement ; and at eleven 
o'clock Mr. Fletcher went home with her. The house 
was perfectly quiet, and her husband had gone to bed. 
Mr. Fletcher talked with Mrs. Mayo, her landlady, 
about the matter. He did not want any misunderstand- 
ings, and thought, that, if there were no danger, Mrs. 
Davies had better stay with her husband. Mrs. Mayo 
smiled at the idea of danger. Evidently she had not 
taken that view of the matter. 

In about three days Mrs. Hart-Davies came again, 
and with another fearful story. 

" Oh ! what do you think? " she said. " Mr. Hart- 
Davies is plotting to put me into a lunatic-asylum." 

" Nonsense ! Impossible ! " 

Ci No. It is actually true." 

Her story, told in her excited manner, was, that, 
several weeks before, she had had a note from a friend, 
warning her of a plot to secure her property. That 
day she had a craving for some lager-beer, and sent a 
servant to a public-house to get some. When the ser- 
vant came with the beer, she said she had heard Mr. 



80 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Hart-Davies talking with two men at the public-house 
about her. One of them said, u How had we better 
do it? Suppose you ask her to take a drive, and send 
for a cab, and then" — But Mr. Davies said, U I 
had rather not be seen in it. You must manage it 
yourselves." 

As soon as Mrs. Hart-Davies had heard this story, 
she came at once to tell us. She would never go back. 
If she could not stay with us, she would go to a hotel. 

Mr. Fletcher could not. think of turning her out of 
doors, and said she could stay with us, and he would 
send word to her landlady in Vernon Place. She pre- 
ferred to go herself, and give notice that she was leav- 
ing ; and Mr. Fletcher accompanied her. On the way 
she told him that she must soon be off to her usual 
winter-residence at Tours. He advised her to go at 
once, so as not to have the trouble of a double change, 
and suggested that she could come to us on her return 
in the spring, if she still wished to do so. 

She proposed to come and stay with us all day, and 
go to Vernon Place to sleep ; and finally it was so 
arranged. • 

Talking the matter over with my husband, I remem- 
bered that Mrs. Davies had an aunt. Why not make 
her a visit? Next morning I went to her, and proposed 
this as better for her own sake. She said she hated 
her aunt, but would write to her. The answer she got 



HOW SHB CAME TO LIVE WITH US. 81 

was not very gracious. Her aunt would not receive her. 
She did not approve of her conduct, and thought her 
present husband was much too indulgent. She might 
visit, but could not live with her ; and she might be 
obliged to reduce her allowance. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies showed us this letter. I advised 
her to go to her aunt, and tell her all the circumstances. 
She went, and then wrote us the most urgent letter, 
asking us to allow her to immediately return. 

When she returned from this visit to her aunt, we 
thought it necessary to give her the protection of our 
home, to which it had been agreed she should come on 
her return from France ; but we requested her to send 
for her trustee, the Rev. James Burroughs, vicar of 
Hampton. He came to see us, and we told him the 
circumstances which had compelled her to seek our 
protection. Mrs. Davies said to him, "Mr. and Mrs. 
Fletcher are the best friends I have in this world. I 
have given them all iny little belongings, and their 
house is henceforth to be my horue." 

Whatever Mr. Burroughs may have thought of this 
arrangement, he did not withhold his consent to it ; 
and so it was settled. 

When, in the course of my trial, I went to see Mr. 
Burroughs, who was suffering with apoplexy, at Hamp- 
ton, he said to me, "Mrs. Fletcher, don't give your- 
self the least uneasiness. My testimony will set this 



82 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

all right ; for when I called on Mrs. Hart-Davies in 
September, at Vernon Place, 3'our photos were on the 
mantel, and she spoke of you as being the best friends 
she had in the world. She said you moved in the most 
fashionable society, and she gave me a list of distin- 
guished and royal personages who were among your 
visitors. She said, " I am going to do every thing in 
my power in order to live with them, so that I can get 
into the society I like, and from which I have been 
debarred by the character and habits of my husband." 

" I fancied," continued Mr. Burroughs, " that, from 
Juliet's romancing and fault-finding ways, her friends 
the Fletchers would have a hard time of it." 

This Mr. Burroughs was ready to testify ; and this 
evidence, like so much beside, constituting the real 
facts of the case, was shut out by the determination 
of my counsel to call no witnesses. 

On the 1st of October Mrs. Hart-Davies left London 
for Tours ; and Mr. Morton, who was going to Paris, 
waited over two days, and saw her across the Channel, 
and on the train going to Tours. Her condition at 
this time no doubt made some escort or companionship 
desirable ; and Mr. Morton, from his character, and 
relations to all of us, was a very suitable travelling- 
companion. He was a member of a religious and 
benevolent society whose members were pledged to a 
special fidelity to its objects. Mrs. Hart-Davies had 



HOW SHE CAME TO LIVE WITH US. 83 

been accepted as a member of this society. Ou my 
trial she testified that we had also formed a smaller 
society-group of three persons, consisting of Mr. 
Fletcher, herself, and me, constituting a " social 
trinity," in which she represented the principle of 
love ; Mr. Fletcher, that of wisdom ; and I, the de- 
partment of work. Something of this kind may have 
been spoken of, but I think the whole credit of the 
idea belongs properly to Mrs. Hart-Davies. 

On her arrival at Tours, there began that correspond- 
ence which figured so largely in my trial, of which more 
than seventy letters said to have been written by me 
were read, but not one from Mrs. Hart-Davies, that 
would have explained them. Her letters to us had 
been left in our house, 22 Gordon Street, when we 
went to America. When I returned, not one of them 
could be found. Though urgently demanded by Mr. 
Lewis, my solicitor, as necessary to my defence, they 
were not forthcoming. When Mrs. Hart-Davies went 
with Mack and a pretended search-warrant, and ran- 
sacked our house, she took care to secure all her 
letters, some of which I found, with others addressed 
to us, and a quantity of my property besides, among 
her things at the Bedford Pantechnicon, thirteen 
months later. 

These letters, or our part of them, which constitut- 
ed, perhaps, a quarter or third of the correspondence, 



84 TWELVE MONTHS IX PEISON. 

were read as evidence of fraud upon the trial, and 
published in the newspapers. But neither judge, jury, 
editors, nor the public seem to have remembered, that 
the fraud, if one had been perpetrated, had been con- 
summated, the deed of gift executed, the confirmatory 
letter written, and the will made, before one of these 
letters had been ivritten, and that the property was at 
that time in our keeping, with " the honorable under- 
standing," as Mrs. Hart-Davies testified on the trial, 
that it was to be given back to her whenever it should 
be demanded. 

Why should we have written letters to get property 
which was already in our keeping, and had been for- 
mally made over and secured to us ? 



CHAPTER XIII. 

WE GET MORE, NOT TO SAY BETTER, ACQUAINTED. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies's letters written at Tours, if 
they could have been produced, would have shown 
that she was improving in health, that she had fre- 
quent communion w r ith the spirit of her departed 
mother, who rejoiced with her in the safe disposition 
of her property, and that she expressed the most 
devoted friendship to us and the greatest interest in 
our cause and work. 

She came from Tours to Paris, and wrote, begging 
Mr. Fletcher to come there and see her. I thought 
the change and rest would be good for him, and wished 
him to go. She telegraphed that she was very ill, and 
that her doctor said the illness was dangerous. Mr. 
Fletcher went to Paris, being absent one day and 
night, when he saw and talked with her, and took such 
care of her as her condition seemed to require. 

This visit to Paris, of which more was made at the 
trial than was needful, was in January. In February 
I was ill from the effects, as my physician thought, of 

So 



86 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

too severe a climate, and he advised me to go to 
Rome. I prepared to go, and wrote to Mrs. Hart- 
Davies, proposing that she should accompany me. She 
consented, and promised to meet me in Paris ; but she 
failed to do so, and wrote to Mr. Fletcher that her 
mamma wished her to return to London. Mr. Fletcher 
wrote to her that it would be inconvenient ; that there 
were only the servants in the house besides himself, 
and that her being there alone with him during my 
absence would not be a proper arrangement. To her 
repeated proposals he made the same answer, saying 
that the house would be prepared for her reception on 
the 3d of May. 

I have mentioned that Mrs. Hart-Davies had intro- 
duced to us an old friend of hers, Capt. Lindmark. 
On the 30th of March, though far from being a Spirit- 
ualist, — being, in fact, a scientific materialist of very 
decided views, — he came to the anniversary meeting 
(the Anniversary of the Origin of Modern Spiritualism 
in America) at Stein way Hail, and afterward called 
upon us at Gordon Street. We spoke to him of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies and of the arrangements that had been 
made for her residence with us, and showed him her 
things in the house. 

He did not seem very muclf pleased at the informa- 
tion. " Are you certain you will be happy with her? " 
he asked. u A woman who has quarrelled with two 



AVE GET MORE ACQUAINTED. 87 

husbands, who has been divorced from one, and has 
separated from another, may not be more fortunate 
with you." As a gentleman, and one as yet but 
slightly acquainted with us, he was not in a position 
to interfere ; but it was easy to see, that for some 
reason he did not quite approve of the arrangement. 

When the 1st of May was at hand, and Mr. Fletcher 
had promised to go to Paris for Mrs. Hart-Davies, he 
was unwell, and not in a condition to make such a 
journey. I therefore offered to meet her at Dover, 
where she would most need me, coming from a possi- 
bly rough passage across the Channel ; and Capt. 
Lindmark, as an old acquaintance of our coming guest 
and our adopted sister, kindly offered to bear me 
company. 

I wrote of all this to Mrs. Hart-Davies, and told 
her we should meet her at the Lord Warden Hotel, 
and that Capt. Lindmark would receive her upon her 
landing, and make all the necessary arrangements for 
her at the hotel. 

The boat came in, but no Mrs. Hart-Davies : so w T e 
waited for the night boat, and I engaged a porter and 
chambermaid to meet her, and had a w^arm room ready 
for her reception. She did not come. On inquiry, 
we found that the boat had landed at another pier ; 
and at eleven o'clock we got a telegram from Mr. 
Fletcher to tell us that the unhappy and neglected 



88 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

woman had landed alone, and was staying in a cold 
room. We found her at last, and she went home with 
us ; but, such is her fault-finding and malicious temper, 
she has probably never forgiven what she considered 
our neglect when we thought we had made every pro- 
vision for her comfort. 

We arranged as well as we could, however, to make 
her the pet child of the family. She had many amia- 
ble qualities. She was conversable, affectionate to 
excess, wrote with facility in verse as well as in prose, 
and had a considerable talent for drawing,- as was 
shown by her questionable sketches which so inter- 
ested Mr. Flowers, the Bond-street magistrate, and 
Sir Harvey Hawkins, at the Central Criminal Court. 

But amiable, kind, generous as she could be and 
had been, she* had not been an inmate of our family a 
week, before she showed very different and less desira- 
ble qualities. She became exorbitant in her demands, 
and extremely irritable in her temper, requiring every 
thing in the house to be changed to suit her. She 
increased the work of the servants by tardiness and 
disorderly habits, — coming to lunch in a morning- 
dress, and the same at five-o'clock tea, which, in a 
house where there were guests at almost every meal, 
was inconvenient, and scarcely respectful. She gave 
no assistance in our work. The servants could not en- 
dure her temper, and gave notice to quit. She did not 



WE GET MOKE ACQUAINTED. 89 

receive as much attention as she desired from our 
visitors, and seemed very jealous of any attention 
that was paid to me. In fact, she seemed to think or 
feel, that, whenever we had company, it was her right 
to be the object of exclusive attention, and that she 
was defrauded if any notice was taken of any other 
person. 

In a few weeks she show r ed great jealousy of Capt. 
landmark. Any kindness or gentlemanly attention he 
showed to me was deeply resented ; and she showed 
so much irritation, and he so much indifference, for 
one whose manners toward ladies were generally so 
admirable, that when I had observed them a short time 
I suspected a previous intimacy. One day toward the 
end of June, as I was coming into the drawing-room, 
I heard Capt. Lindmark say, "That's absolutely hor- 
rible. Certainly it cannot be." 

Capt. Lindmark is a gentleman of great self-posses- 
sion, but he was evidently shocked and angry. He is 
an accomplished linguist ; but his English is of course 
marked with a slight foreign accent, which makes it 
more emphatic. To m}^ husband and myself, who were 
entering, he said, " Mr. Fletcher and Mrs. Fletcher, I 
must tell you something before I can ever visit you 
again." Then, turning to Mrs. Hart-Davies, he said, 
" Shall I tell them, or will you? We have no right to 
be here together until they understand." 



90 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

"I prefer to tell them myself,' ' she answered, and 
immediately left the room with Mr. Fletcher. They 
were absent for two hours. She then came and took 
me out, and made her confession. It was in general 
what I had suspected. I heard now, for the first 
time, some details of her past life, — the cause of 
her divorce from her first husband, her meeting 
Capt. Lindmark in South America, her wild and ir- 
repressible passion for him, — the whole story, the 
old storj' (reversed, for the entreaties were hers), 
needless to dwell upon or repeat. It was told with 
many sobs and tears. It was, she declared, the one 
error of her life, for which, she also declared, she was 
truly penitent. 

I had no right to judge the poor woman, and no 
desire to act harshly toward her, or punish her in any 
way. I had taken her into my home because she was 
in trouble. If she were more guilty than I supposed, 
she so much the more needed kindness. I was sorry 
that she had come under false colors as a chaste and 
ill-used wife. I forgave her, but Mr. Fletcher did not. 
He said she had come to us under false pretences, and 
that we had a right to know the extent of our respon- 
sibilities. Still he yielded to my wishes, and treated 
her with politeness, but never with the same cordiality 
as before. He was the same as formerly in companj', 
but not the same in private. I wished to treat her as 



AVE GET MORE ACQUAINTED. 91 

a sister, as I think one woman ought to treat another. 
Nor can I understand why women should be more 
unforgiving to each other than they are to men. 



CHAPTER XIV. 

OUR EXCURSION TO AMERICA. 

We had planned to make an excursion to America 
for our summer-holiday, and we forgot our troubles in 
the preparations for the voyage and in the visits we 
proposed to make. We spent some weeks in dress- 
making and arranging our wardrobe, making up the 
new materials and trimmings which I purchased, and 
altering the old dresses which she had inherited, and 
which were "now c6nsidered our common property. 
All was finished and packed up for the voyage ; the 
dresses for both of us being, in some instances, in 
the same box. 

Capt. Lindmark, who wished to inspect some gov- 
ernment works and manufacturing establishments in 
America, proposed to join our party, as also did one 
of our frequent guests, Miss Spencer. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies did not like this arrangement. 
The presence of Capt Lindmark embarrassed her ; and 
she was jealous of the attentions paid to Miss Spen- 
cer, — not that they were in the least exclusive, for our 
92 



OUR EXCURSION TO AMERICA. 93 

two gentlemen scrupulously divided their attentions 
between us three ladies, I as the wife getting of course 
rather less than an equal share. 

It was, however, a mathematical difficulty to divide 
two gentlemen among three ladies ; and we could not 
avoid some vulgar fractions. Mrs. Hart-Davies, be- 
tween Mr. Fletcher's brotherly coolness and Capt. 
landmark's dead ashes, with her natural tendency 7 to 
jealousy, grew more and more fault-finding and dis- 
agreeable as the day of our departure approached. 

TTe sailed for New York, July 29, 1879. On the 
steamer, where we were made as comfortable as people 
who are not good sailors can be at sea, our poor sister's 
bad temper was naturally aggravated. She had no one 
to rule, and she got no attention. No doubt it seemed 
so to her: for she would say at table, "Nobody will 
come for me ; but, if Mrs. Fletcher is absent, every- 
body wants to tear after her." 

Among our fellow-passengers was a young and tal- 
ented clergj'man, returning to America from a tour 
for health in Europe. He and Mrs. Hart-Davies 
seemed much attracted to each other, and got up a 
rather pronounced flirtation, seeking out retired places 
on deck for t&te-dActes, and being discovered later at 
night than the regulations allowed behind the wheel- 
house. This made some scandal ; and Capt. Lind- 
mark, with what may seem a cruel frankness, told her 



94 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

she was disgracing our party. Probably, from the fact 
that he had become acquainted with us through her 
introduction, and from his past relations to her, he felt 
more strongly than was necessary a certain responsi- 
bility for her conduct. 

She very emphatically resented his interference ; 
and, when Mr. Fletcher told her that one of the ship's 
officers had told him it was against the rules for pas- 
sengers to be on deck after eleven o'clock, the breeze 
became a storm. She complained that Mr. Fletcher 
had neglected her, and declared that the minister had 
proposed to marry her. To this it might have been 
objected, that the clergyman was reported to be else- 
where engaged, and that she had already two living 
husbands, from only one of whom she had as yet 
been divorced. 

I am sorry to be obliged to enter into these petty 
and scandalous details ; but I do not see how I can 
avoid it, and yet give the reader a clear understanding 
of my story. 



CHAPTER XV. 

NEW YORK, BOSTON, CAMP-MEETING, DR. MACK, AND 
SIGNOR RONDI. 

Head-winds made our trip to New York two days 
longer than we expected. Mr. Colby, editor of the 
" Banner of Light," had written to us that the Boston 
Spiritualists had arranged to give us a public reception 
on the 9th of August, and that Mr. Fletcher had been 
announced to speak at the Lake Pleasant Camp-Meet- 
ing on the 11th. I meant to take the first train after 
landing to visit my father and mother in Lawrence, 
Mass. 

We arrived in New York on the 10th, too late for 
our reception at Boston (^hich, on the non-arrival of 
the steamer, had been postponed), and just in time 
to take our respective trains,- — I to Boston, Mr. 
Fletcher to the camp-meeting. 

After reaching Boston, being quite at home where 
I had lived so long, I went at once to the office of the 
" Banner of Light" for letters, and to shake hands 
with my old friends, Mr. Colby and Mr. Rich, and 

95 



96 TWELVE MONTHS IK PBISON. 

found that our reception was appointed for three 
o'clock that afternoon. The medium who gave regu- 
lar siances at the " Banner" office had told them of 
our detention, and that we should arrive on the 10th. 
They had tried to telegraph to us the altered arrange- 
ments, but without success. I at once telegraphed to 
my mother and sister to come to me at the Parker 
House ; and they went with me to the reception, where 
I had the happiness of being warmly welcomed by 
many old friends. Then I went home with mother 
and sister, and was once more in my dear father's 
arms, and the next day took the train to join my 
husband at Lake Pleasant. 

On my arrival, loaded with the flowers given me at 
the reception and with many sent to Mr. Fletcher, as 
I walked up the veranda of. the hotel, I saw sitting 
there Dr. Mack and his friend Signor Rondi. Dr. 
Mack arose, and bowed to me. 

I did not return his salutation ; because I would not 
be a hypocrite, and I knew he was my enemy. I do 
not know the reasons for his animosit}^. On coming 
to England as a mesmeric or Spiritualist healer, he 
took rooms in Southampton Row, near the office of 
the "Medium and Daybreak," a Spiritualist paper 
edited and published by Mr. James Burns. Mr. 
Burns, for some reason unknown to me, had been 
opposed to Mr. Fletcher and myself. It is difficult 



NEW YORK, BOSTON, CAMP-MEETING. 97 

to account for the animosity of persons engaged in 
the same profession, or enlisted in the same cause. 
There is a world-old proverb, "Two of a trade can 
never agree." It is notorious that mediums are often 
jealous of each other, as physicians, lawyers, possibly 
clergymen, may be ; as actors and singers and rival 
beauties are ; and as nobody in the world, and, least 
of all, Christians and Spiritualists, ever should be. 

However it was, Mr. Burns did not like us ; and 
Mr. James McGeary, now known as Dr. Mack, had 
an evident interest in being in the good graces of Mr. 
Burns, who, as able editor, and powerful champion of 
Spiritualism, could render him important service. Mr. 
Burns said I was the champion of Mrs. Woodhull and 
of "Free Love," which he had a mission to trample 
out ; and, though Mr. Burns knew that Dr. Mack's 
own life was not without stain, he seems to have lis- 
tened to his stories about me. Mr. Fletcher, meeting 
Mack at Doughty Hall, demanded an apology and re- 
traction of all his scandalous tales about us, which 
Mack made ; but he kept up his slanders, and we had 
no further intercourse. 

I regret that it is necessary to speak of either 
Dr. Mack or Signor Eondi, and I shall say as little 
as possible of either. Signor Eondi is an Italian artist 
of considerable merit: as a "red" revolutionist, he 
served under Garibaldi, of whom he has painted an 



98 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

excellent portrait. Being a Spiritualist; with some 
gifts as a professed medium, be got acquainted with 
Dr. Mack. Signor Rondi is a little man, and Mack 
a very big one ; and such opposites often attract each 
other. On Mr. Fletcher's arrival in London, Signor 
Rondi had some seances with him, and got remarkable 
tests. They liked each other, and Signor Rondi was 
very useful to him. This friendship continued until my 
arrival in London, in July, 1876. Of course Signor 
Rondi was soon presented to me, and we became 
very friendly. For three years he was a constant 
visitor at our house, and almost an inmate ; for he 
came in frequently to supper, and always staid late, 
his own rooms being very near us. I find it hard to 
understand the loss of Signor Rondi's friendship, and 
the hostility he afterward manifested, his jealousy, his 
revenge, and his joining with Dr. Mack to charge us 
with fraud, and bring about my imprisonment. Mack 
was wicked ; poor Rondi was weak. 

Signor Rondi knew all about our quarrel with Dr. 
Mack. He wanted to go with us to America, and, be- 
cause he could not join our party, was naturally a little 
unhappy. He wrote from Liverpool, giving us notice 
that' he was going with Dr. Mack ; and they preceded 
us by a week. On their arrival at the Lake Pleasant 
Hotel, after inquiring of the landlord, they secured 
rooms commanding a view of those we had taken by 
cable, and were ready for us when we came. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAjIP-MEETING. 

Dr. Mack was acquainted with Miss Spencer pro- 
fessionally, and soon after our arrival she introduced 
him to Mrs. Hart-Davies. Possibly Mrs. Hart-Davies 
hoped to be benefited by his magnetic powers ; but it 
was not in very good taste, to say the least, for her to 
be seen walking and talking with one whom she knew 
to be our enemy. We all noticed a change in her 
manner to us. From being merely irritable and rude, 
as she often had been, she became insulting and vio- 
lent. 

Through Dr. Mack, Mrs. Hart-Davies soon got ac- 
quainted with a clairvoyant medium and her husband 
from Saratoga. They had introduced themselves to 
us, and invited us to visit them. We were too fully 
occupied to see much of them, which occasioned us 
but little regret after we learned of their real character 
and standing. But Mrs. Hart-Davies was a good deal 
with them ; and they seemed to have so bad an influence 
over her, that I spoke to her about it, and also of her 

99 



100 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

intimacies with persons whom she knew to be our 
enemies. It made no difference in her conduct. She 
spent much of her time with Rondi and Mack, and 
these unworthy people. 

On the 17th of August, while writing at an open 
window in the corridor (and all windows are open 
in the warmth of an American August) , I could not 
avoid hearing the peculiar voice and Italian English of 
Signor Rondi, who was holding a seance in his room 
with Mrs. Hart-Davies. Speaking as if under the 
control of some spirit, Signor Rondi was saying, — 

" So far as Mr. Fletcher is concerned, he has in 
London a hundred sweethearts. You need not think 
he cares for you. He only cares for what he can 
make." 

As this communication was evidently not intended 
for me, I went back to my room. An hour later Mrs. 
Hart-Davies came to me in a state of violent agitation, 
and said, — 

" What would you do if a reliable clairvoyant were 
to tell you that your husband had been unfaithful ? I 
have been told," she persisted, "by a most reliable 
medium, that Mr. Fletcher is very unfaithful ; and it 
drives me mad to think that my- brother, whom I 
thought so pure and good, is not to be trusted." 

I did not care to enter into the subject, and tried to 
soothe her irritation. "If any person should tell me 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 101 

such a thing, " I said, "I should consider him unde- 
veloped, or in some way gone wrong ; and, if a spirit 
said so, I should think it an undeveloped, and therefore 
evil spirit. If you listen to such things, and are influ- 
enced by them, what can we expect of the world about 
him ? We who know him ought and do know that such 
talk is utterly absurd." 

She seemed for the moment to feel better about it, 
but soon went to the Saratoga medium, and had a 
seance with her. I accidentally saw them sitting at 
a table ; and Capt. Landmark also noticed it, and re- 
marked that it meant mischief. 

"I ought to speak to you candidly about Juliet," 
he said, "even at the risk of offending you. I have 
observed her conduct here, and spoke to her about it 
yesterday. But first let me ask, Has Mrs. Hart-Davies 
made a will in your favor? " 

" To the best of my knowledge, no." 

"Then I will tell you what she said. She told me 
yesterday that she hated and despised you. It was 
you who prevented my return to her, and it was you 
who prevented Mr- Fletcher from paying her the atten- 
tion she had a right to expect from him. She said 
she had given you all her property, and had made a 
will in your favor ; but that did not amount to any 
thing, for the papers were at her disposal, and she 
could tear them up in five minutes. And raising her 



102 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

hand, and clinching her fist, she said, ' I will have my 
revenge upon her ! ' " 

"I don't attach any importance to her threats," I 
replied. 

Still, I had some anxiety, though not for myself ; for 
her conduct was spoiling Mr. Fletcher's holiday. But 
I could not see that there was any thing to be done, 
and said I thought we had better let it rest. 

" No ! " said Capt. Lindmark. " Take my advice, 
and send that woman back to London, or she will 
certainly cause some disaster. She has been the ruin 
of every one she was ever connected with." 

Mr. Fletcher joined us. Capt. Lindmark continued 
the conversation. He said, "I want to speak to you 
plainly, Mr. Fletcher. This woman is unhappy, and 
she is bent on mischief." 

" Well," said Mr. Fletcher, " what can she do be- 
yond making us uncomfortable? That we are bound 
to bear as well as we can. When we return to Lon- 
don, she must take her property, and make a home 
for herself. The influence she has over our son is 
such, that we had decided before leaving London, 
were there no other reason, she could not live longer 
with us." 

Our son Alvah, then fourteen years old, was in the 
university school, which was quite near our home, and 
getting on very well with his studies ; but the table- 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 103 

talk of Mrs. Hart-Davies was so far from edifying, 
that I was more than once obliged to ask him to leave 
the table, and finish his dinner elsewhere. She had a 
way of talking of things, and using expressions, that 
no child should hear. No doubt this was attributable 
to a morbid condition, a kind of mania well known 
to physicians, difficult to manage, and more difficult to 
cure. When I sent my boy away from the table to 
save him from such " evil communications ' ' as I feared 
might "corrupt good manners," she was very angry, 
and said, " Boys of his age should learn such things." 
But to resume. 

On the 17th of August, Alvah came to me, and said, 
"Aunty (as he called Mrs. Hart-Davies) wants papa." 

"He is somewhere about the grounds," I said. She 
came out upon the veranda, and said she wanted to 
see Mr. Fletcher about going to Saratoga. He was 
the treasurer of the party, and she would require some 
money for her fare and expenses. I saw Mr. Fletcher 
approaching, and left them together. In a little while 
he came to me, and said, — 

"Juliet tells me she is going to make a visit to 
Saratoga, and would like to take mamma's jewels with 
her. She has been told that their influence will be 
good for her." 

" Well, there is no reason why she should not have 
them. Does she want those that are in the bank as 
well?" 



104 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

All the most valuable of her jewels had been depos- 
ited in a bank on our arrival at Boston, as hotel-rooms 
are sometimes robbed in America, as elsewhere. 

" Don't know," he answered. "I told her you 
would see that she had whatever she wanted." 

After lunch I went to her room, and said, " Willie 
tells me you are going away, and want mamma's jew- 
els. Do you want all of them, — those deposited in 
the bank at Boston ? And when do you intend to 
go?" 

" To-morrow morning, at half-past ten." 

" Well, that can be easily arranged," I said. " We 
can telegraph to the bank for the box, and it will come 
by the night-train." 

" I think I would like to take them all," she said. 
" Besides, I want to tell you that I have been dis- 
turbed and uncomfortable ; and I think it will be 
better for me to go away for a week." 

" I have noticed for several days," I replied, " that 
you were not like yourself ; and it seems a. pity, for it 
destroys your comfort and ours. You know how hard 
Mr. Fletcher has worked, and how much need he has 
of peace and rest. It does seem a little cruel that you 
or I should do any thing to destroy his happiness, and 
deprive him of the rest he so much needs." 

"Nobody but you ever called me bad-tempered," 
she answered. " Everybody else has liked my pretty, 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 105 

dainty ways. Besides, I may as well be frank with 
you. I will no longer remain with this party if Capt. 
Lindmark is to stay in it. He treats you always w T ith 
marked respect, and me with marked indifference ; 
and it is mortifying and humiliating. If he don't leave 
the party, I shall." 

I tried to quiet her. u It is only for a few weeks," 
I said. "I can understand how you feel. But you 
should have thought of it before we left England." 

We talked for two hours, and she seemed more rea- 
sonable. In the course of our conversation I told her 
I thought Dr. Mack was not such a man as she should 
associate with, and that I thought he had a bad influ- 
ence upon her. 

She replied that she had had frequent seances with 
Signor Eondi and others, and that her mamma said 
she ought to be with Dr. Mack ; that his magnetism 
was good for her, and that he would be her friend. 

u y erv W ell," I said : u I have nothing more to say. 
If these communications are agreeable to your sense 
of right, you must act accordingly." 

At the end of our conversation, when I had risen to 
go, she said, " Bertie, don't send for those jewels until 
I see you again." 

" Very well. Any time before seven o'clock will be 
in season for the night- train." 

At the table d'hote, at six o'clock, she seemed in 



10G TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

better spirits than at any time since our arrival. Com- 
ing up to the back of my chair, she put her arms 
round me, and said, " Bertie dear, I have decided 
not to take the jewels ; and, if you are disengaged 
after dinner, I should like to have a little chat with 
you." 

There was to be a concert that evening, for the bene- 
fit of one of the mediums at the camp-meeting, at 
which I had promised to sing. Miss Spencer, who 
was going with me, had lost a brother the 3 T ear before ; 
and this was the anniversary of his death. She in- 
tended to wear a dress of silver blue, his favorite color, 
in his honor; and Mrs. Hart-Davies intended to wear 
the same, and proposed that I should join them. I 
had intended to dress, as usual, in black, but willingly 
consented to wear the blue for the occasion, if I could 
find the right shade. Mrs. Hart-Davies volunteered 
to assist me, found the dress, and laid out the jewels 
to match. 

The concert was a great success. We all enjoyed 
it, and took home with us a party of friends, who 
staid late. I hoped for better times. Going from our 
cottage to the hotel, Mrs. Hart-Davies said, — 

" Bertie dear, do you think our jewels are safe here? 
I fancy I have lost things from my room. Wouldn't 
it be better to send all of them to the bank? " 

I readily assented to this prudent arrangement. " It 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 107 

can easily be managed," I said. "Mr. Fletcher will 
take Alvah to Boston to-morrow, and can deposit all 
the jewels at the same time. This was on the 17th of 
August. We said good-night ; and next Monday, on 
the 18th, Mr. Fletcher took the jewels to Boston, de- 
posited them at her suggestion, and returned at nine 
o'clock the same evening. 

The following morning Mrs. Hart-Davies complained 
of a violent headache, and said, " I don't feel able to 
travel, and I think I shall not go to Saratoga." 

I said, ; * I am very glad you have decided to remain ; 
for I think it would be very unwise for you to go off 
with people you have only known a week. They know 
nothing of you, nor you of them." 

" They know, at least, that I am a lady." 

" Unfortunately they do not. The} 7 may know that 
you have the manners of a lady. They can only judge 
of you as you can of them. But, aside from that, it 
seems to me a surprising arrangement." 

After breakfast she went to her room, and sent for 
me to come to her. She had seen her friend Home, 
the new medium, she said, and told her she did not 
feel able to travel then, but would come and visit 
her later. Madame was very angry, and her husband 
also seemed in a bad temper. "What shall I do?" 
she asked. " I don't want to make them angry." 

This seemed very strange to me ; but I asked if I 



108 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

should go and speak to them. She wished I would; 
and I ran down, and tapped at their door. They were 
having a seance with Miss Spencer ; and as I entered 
Mr. Home was saying, " Well, she shall go ! " 

I asked madame to step into the corridor, and gave 
her my message. I told her Mrs. Davies was very 
sorry to disappoint them, but felt too ill to travel. 

" Well, she never knows her own mind five minutes 
at a time," she answered. "But, if she comes to us 
at all, she must come with us this morning. " 

"It is very strange that you should speak in this 
way," I said. " If you want her so much, I presume 
she will try to go. But, if she goes, I must tell you 
something about her. You are a stranger to her, and 
she is one of my family. She is subject to severe 
attacks of nervousness and neuralgia. If any thing 
.happens to her, I beg that you will let us know of it 
as soon as possible." And I gave her our Boston 
address. 

" Perhaps }xm think I am giving Mrs. Davies spir- 
itual advice, but I am not. The real matter is this : 
Mrs. Davies formed a most unfortunate attachment 
coming over on the steamer. She thinks, that, after 
a little rest with us, she can go to Indiana and get a 
divorce, and then marry this young man." 

"What is the dear child thinking of!" I said. 
"But, as she has never mentioned this matter to me, 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 109 

she probably does not wish me to know it : so I think 
we will not talk any more about it. Good-morning." 

I told Mrs. Hart-Davies the result of my interview, 
that she must go then, if at all ; and, while we were 
talking, her friend came to see her. and I left them 
together. In a few moments Mrs. Davies came out 
with her hat on, and said, •• There is nothing for it but 
to go." 

I said, " Juliet, I don't understand this matter ; but 
of course you must do as you like." She answered 
that it was only for three or four days, when she 
would come and join us. 

'•The sooner the better," I said. "Whenever you 
come, we shall be glad to see you." She caught me 
in her arms, crying and sobbing like a child. 

I took her wraps on my arm. and went with her 
down to the veranda, where I handed them to Capt. 
Landmark, who went with her to the station; The 
last I saw of her was when, at the top of the hill, she 
turned, and kissed her hand to me until she passed out 
of sight. 

At half-past four o'clock that afternoon the sheriff 
came into the house with a warrant to arrest us. 

Dr. Mack joined her on the train. The two left 
it at Montague, went before a justice of the peace, 
charged us with having illegal possession of property 
of immense value, and got a warrant for our arrest ; 



1J0 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

while Mrs. Hart-Davies gave Dr. Mack a power of attor- 
ney to prosecute us, and recover the stolen property. 

When the sheriff came in the afternoon, he found 
that Mr. Fletcher was in Boston, and I heard nothing 
about it. Mr. Fletcher returned late in the night, and 
the matter was not mentioned to him. 

At half-past seven next morning, feeling ill, I was 
having my breakfast in bed. There came a rap at the 
door. Thinking it was Mr. Fletcher, I said, u Come 
in," when entered the burly form of Dr. Mack, who 
said, — 

" I have come for Mrs. Hart-Davies' property." 

I supposed that he meant some things she might 
have left in her bedroom, and said, — 

"Why do you come to me for 'her property'? 
And how do you dare to come into my bedroom?" 

" Come, come ! " said he with insulting importance. 
"This won't do. You have carried your head alto- 
gether too high the last five years. I'll see what I 
can do to bring it down." 

I was getting angry ; but, lying ill in bed, I could 
only say, " Dr. Mack, leave this room. If you have 
any business to transact, you can do it with my hus- 
band." 

"Your husband has run away," said he. "Not 
much chance of finding him!" 

"I think you will find him in the dining-room," I 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. Ill 

replied as calmly as I could. " He left this room ten 
minutes ago to get his breakfast. Dr. Mack, I have 
not the least idea of what you are doing ; but, know- 
ing you as I do, I am sure it is some dreadfully dirt} 7 
business." 

"We won't argue, Mrs. Fletcher," said Mack. 
"If there is anything I dislike, it is argument." 

He left the room ; and I locked my door, and 
dressed myself. In a few minutes Mr. Fletcher came 
with Dr. Mack, and said, — 

" Dr. Mack says he has come for Mrs. Hart-Davies' 
property." 

"Well," I said, "he will find it in her bedroom. 
You had best give him her key." 

"Oh! it is not that. He wants the property she 
has transferred to us." 

"How can that be?" I asked. "There must be 
some mistake. Most of it is in London. How can 
we give that to Dr. Mack?" 

"That is easily managed," interposed Mack. " She 
will take what is here now, and go back to London 
for the rest of it." 

"I suppose what you mean is this," said Mr. 
Fletcher: "Mrs. Hart-Davies has determined to leave 
us, and wants her property. In that case, I am only 
too glad to return every thing that ever belonged to 
her." 



112 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

He then gave Mack, who had shown his power of 
attorney, an order on the Boston bank for her jewels 
and the money she had given him to keep for her ; 
and I searched our boxes to find any things that might 
belong to her. I even put out some of my dresses 
that were trimmed with her lace, and her dresses 
trimmed with my lace. 

" She don't want any of the dresses," said he. 
"She says they are of no consequence.' ' 

I hung them on nails in the room, that they might 
be at her disposal. Dr. Mack took his order, and 
went with the sheriff to the bank, and got the jewels, 
with which he returned to the camp, and took them 
and the other things to Mrs. Hart-Davies. Having 
her power of attorney, he managed every thing to his 
liking, and said he wanted these matters settled qui- 
etly ; that we had quarrelled in London, but here he 
was willing to let bygones be bygones, and wanted to 
be friends. 

Next day he came again, with a list of things which 
Mrs. Hart-Davies said we had not restored to her, and 
which she demanded. She said that only about half 
her jewels were returned, and wanted her furs, India 
shawl, and such articles as she had herself packed to 
leave in London. 

Dr. Mack went away, but came back for the 
dresses, which were given to him. Soon after, he 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 113 

came again with another list. Madame was not sat- 
isfied. 

I was very ill. Mr. Fletcher was losing patience. 
He said, "Dr. Mack, Mrs. Fletcher is ill. Ask Mrs. 
Hart-Davies to come and look through the boxes, and 
take whatever she claims as her property.' ' I sug- 
gested that he should write a note to that effect, u and 
be sure that she gets it." 

He w T rote : — 

" Dear Juliet, — Your more than strange conduct is 
wholly inexplicable to me, and all the more because you know, 
that, at any time you wished for your property, all you had to do 
was to ask me for it. Would it not have been wiser and more 
kind for you to have come to me personally, stating your wishes 
in the matter, and by so doing giving yourself less trouble, and 
me less pain and humiliation ? " 

This note was taken by Dr. Mack, who refused to 
give her address. Of course we had no assurance that 
it was ever given to Mrs. Hart-Davies, and for several 
days we heard no more of her. 

All this time Signor Rondi was with Dr. Mack, and 
apparently assisting him ; and reports came to us, that 
he was making statements not calculated to improve 
our reputation. 

As soon as I was able, I went to Boston, and stopped 
at a private hotel, where I also engaged rooms for Miss 



114 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Spencer and Capt. Lindmark. Before I left the camp, 
Signor Rondi had been begging Mr. Barnard, the land- 
lord of our hotel, to procure him an interview with me. 
I preferred not to see him. He was very unhappy. 
But one day he became quite radiant, and said to Mr. 
Barnard, " You do not need to ask Mrs. Fletcher any 
more to give me an interview. It is all right." 

" Why, signor, what has happened? " said Mr. Bar- 
nard. " You seem triumphant. " 

" Nothing has happened. But soon you will know 
all." 

The morning after my arrival in Boston, appeared 
the article in the " Boston Herald," written by the re- 
porter from information furnished by Dr. Mack and 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, with sensational headings, in the 
American style, and full of the wildest exaggerations. 
These were not, of course, the fault of the reporter; 
though he did not, probably, make any effort to soften 
the picture. How many miscarriages of justice are 
due to sensational reports spreading a deep prejudice 
through a community, editors of newspapers have per- 
haps never considered. The spirit of English law, 
and American law derived from English, is to hold and 
treat every one as innocent until he is proven guilty ; 
but the spirit of an excited public opinion is the exact 
opposite of this law of charity : it is to consider and 
treat every accused person as guilty until h'e can prove 



WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CAMP-MEETING. 115 

his innocence. That there are many lying in prison, 
and that many have suffered death, in consequence of 
an excited and violent public prejudice, created and 
fostered by sensational reports in newspapers, no one 
can doubt who has given the matter any consideration. 
When the ic Boston Herald" reached the camp, 
there was of course a great excitement ; but we were 
in the midst of friends who had known us too long and 
too well to be carried off their feet by a report in a 
newspaper. The three thousand persons assembled at 
Lake Pleasant were, with a few individual exceptions, 
as one family. An indignation-meeting of the friends 
of Mr. Fletcher was held, and resolutions of confidence 
passed, and signed by seven hundred persons. Dr. Mack 
was forbidden the hotel, and Signor Rondi warned to 
leave the camp also, unless he wanted a coat of tar and 
feathers. He took the next train to Boston. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON, AND WHAT CAME OF IT. 

In the first week of September Mr. Fletcher returned 
to Boston, and joined me at our private hotel. 

The impression had come to me that I should be 
arrested that very day : it had come so strongly, that 
I wished Mr. Fletcher to go to Lawrence in order to 
escape the pain and excitement which I felt only too 
certain was approaching; so, having invented a pretext, 
I induced him to go. He asked Capt. Lindmark to 
pay me any attention I might require in his absence, 
and took the half -past two train. 

At half-past three there was a rap on my door. 
" Come in ! " I answered. Capt. Lindmark, who was 
in the adjoining room, heard me, and, thinking I had 
spoken to him, came into the room by one door just 
as Dr. Mack, Mrs. Hart-Davies, and three detectives 
came in at the other. 

"Are you Mrs. Fletcher?" asked the chief detec- 
tive. 

"I am." 
116 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 117 

" I am an officer, and have a warrant to search your 
room." 

11 You are quite welcome to perform your duty, 
whatever it may be." 

I was not in the least surprised by this visit. 
u Forewarned is fore-armed." 

But Capt. Lindmark was not entirely satisfied, and 
was less gifted with the virtue of equanimity. He 
observed that Dr. Mack had kept on his hat, while the 
three officers had politely taken theirs off ; and he ven- 
tured to make a remark on the subject. He said, — 

" How dare you keep on your hat in the presence 
of a lady?" 

Dr. Mack replied offensively, that he generally wore 
his hat when he wanted to : thereupon Capt. Lind- 
mark knocked it off. The three detectives were a 
little astonished at this assault committed in their 
presence by a very tall man in faultless attire. Of 
course it was their duty to arrest him. Their leader 
gave the order, "Put on the twisters." The twisters 
are of American invention, and are used instead of 
handcuffs. The men did not approach him. I sat 
down, and waited to see what would come of it. 
Capt. Lindmark was pale with passion, but quiet and 
resolute. 

"It is an assault, sir, an assault," said the officer. 
No doubt it was, for there lay Dr. Mack's hat on the 
floor. 



118 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies, apparently in a happier frame of 
mind, drew a little near Dr. Mack, no doubt hoping 
to encourage him by her support. 

" In Sweden we consider it the duty of every gentle- 
man to see that every lady is protected from insult," 
continued Capt. Lindmark ; " but, in obeying the laws 
of gallantry, I see that I have disobeyed the law's of 
your free and progressive country. If you want to 
put your twisters on my wrists, pray proceed," hold- 
ing out his arms to them. 

The officers thought better of it, and one of them 
very civilly conducted him to the station-house. 

They then, with the assistance of Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
very thoroughly searched my room. In about two 
hours she found and claimed property valued by her 
at thirty pounds, every particle of which belonged 
to me, w T ith the exception of two night-dresses, which 
had been put in one of my boxes because her own 
were full, and which were so old she had intended to 
throw them away after the voyage. 

When the search was finished, I said, — 

" Now, gentlemen, I presume you want me to go 
with you." 

" I have been used to this business for many years," 
said the officer; " but I never before have done any 
thing so painful as this." 

One of the men, who seemed to be in the employ of 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 119 

Dr. Mack, told me I could give him any letters I wished 
to write, or telegrams for bail. 

I at once telegraphed to my husband, " Capt. land- 
mark has been arrested. Secure bail for him." I also 
telegraphed to persons in Boston who I knew would 
at once give bail for me. When doing this, I asked 
Mrs. Hart-Da vies to sit down, as she looked very 
tired and ill. 

u You seem to be very fond of Mrs. Hart-Davies," 
said the officer to me. 

Ci Yes." I answered. " I have a great pity for her, 
because I think she is acting under the influence of 
persons much worse than herself." 

At five o'clock p.m. I was taken to the police-office 
in Court Square, and was treated, as I have been 
everywhere by the officers of the law, with all possible 
politeness. The officer kindly offered me his arm, but 
I declined it with thanks. 

After I was seated in the clerk's office, the us* 
questions were asked, and entries made. 

64 Where were you born? " asked the clerk. 

"In Lowell. Mass." 

" Why. but you are English ! Any one would know 
that by your accent." 

; • I bes; to assure vou that I was born in Massachu- 
setts for all that." 

The men standing about, hangers-on I suppose, were 



120 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

making remarks upon my appearance, my dress, and 
my feet, while I sat in an easy-chair, answering the 
formal questions. This being ended, a woman was 
sent for, who searched me for any thing that I 
might have concealed in my dress. When this was 
ended, I was taken to the Tombs, where I was met 
by the jailer, a rough-looking, but, as I soon found, 
a most kind-hearted man, who said, "I suppose you 
have never been in a place like this before." He gave 
me the only cell there was vacant, sent to a neighbor- 
ing hotel for my dinner (which was brought and nicely 
served by a colored waiter) , got me a clean mattress 
for my bed, and treated me with every possible kind- 
ness. 

"I can't give you what I would like," he said; 
u but 3^ou shall have the best I have got." And he 
brought me a glass tumbler to drink from, instead of 
the usual prison tin cup. 

The doors of the cells were made of iron bars, 
through which all sounds could penetrate. In a short 
time a large, handsome black cat came to keep me com- 
pany. I gladly accepted my room-mate, and shared my 
dinner with her ; and as she staid all night, purring 
on my bed, I could not help thinking that she showed 
more humanity than did the merciless woman, who, 
for the sake of a miserably small amount of property, 
had placed me in my unjust position. I was very 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 121 

happy in thinking that my husband knew nothing 
about it. 

At midnight the prisoners from the different stations 
were brought in ; and the place became a bedlam of 
noisy, drunken men and women, drunken mothers, 
crying children, and coarse, boisterous young girls. 
They were shouting and singing the whole night. 

I was not sleepy. At two o'clock I heard a steady 
tramp, tramp, in one of the cells, that sounded famil- 
iar. The jailer came past, and I asked him, " AVho is 
this prisoner tramping so uneasily? " 

U I don't know who he is, ma'am," said he; " but 
he is an awful swell. He is a Captain something." 
And my heart was none the lighter from knowing that 
my friend was sharing nry misfortune. 

In the morning my good angel, a rough-looking spe- 
cimen of an angel certainly, but as kind as he could 
be, took me to his office, brought me hot and cold 
water, and towels, and left me to my ablutions. Then 
he came bringing a comb and brush. 

" You need not be afraid of them," he said. 
"They belonged to my poor mother. I have kept 
them for her sake. Nobody has ever touched them 
since she died, but I kinder felt as if I would like to 
have you use them." 

If there are many hard hearts among those who 
have charge of prisoners, I know that there are also 



122 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

some most tender and kind. I can testify that I have 
never found greater kindness or a more unselfish devo- 
tion than from this class. 

In the morning I sent for a good lawyer to attend 
to my case, and at ten o'clock I had my hearing before 
the magistrates. 

The letters I had written had not been posted, and 
the telegrams for bail had not been sent ; but, when I 
entered the court-room, the first thing I saw was the 
gray hair of my dear old friend Dr. Kennedy, a ven- 
erable man, who in the time of my trouble looked to 
me like an angel. 

The dock was cleared of the every-day offenders, — ~ 
those charged with drunkenness, disorderly conduct, 
and petty thefts. The last prisoner was a little boy 
whose head did not come above the dock. He had 
been arrested for stealing cigars. " Stealing, ma'am," 
he said, w r hen I asked him. " I wanted a smoke, and 
it was nothing but a stub." 

At last my name was called. Dr. Kennedy came, 
and said, " Mrs. Fletcher, I have as much confidence 
in your innocence as I have in nvy own, and I have 
come to bail you." And he took a seat at my 
side. 

"But how did you come here?" I asked; for I 
knew r the day before that he was not in town. 

u Well, I was up in Vermont, near Canada, and saw 



MY FIRST NIGHT IX PRISON. 123 

an account of your affair in a Boston newspaper. I 
have travelled all night to come to you." 

While we were talking, another gentleman came, 
one who knew me professionally, to ask if he could 
give bail for me, or supply me with money. 

My friendly jailer had told me that the bail was 
fixed at fifty thousand dollars (ten thousand pounds) . 
This was of course owing to the sensation reports in 
the newspapers, in which I w T as accused of swindling 
a beautiful young English girl of sixteen out of am 
immense fortune. It may be well to state here that 
Mrs. Davies was at least thirty-eight years old. 

In a few minutes some of the facts of the case were 
stated by my lawyer, and the magistrate reduced the 
bail to three hundred dollars (sixt}' pounds). 

When I drove home to our hotel with Dr. Kennedy, 
vre found Mr. Fletcher. The telegrams had been de- 
layed by the detectives ; and the writ had been obtained 
late, simply to keep me one night in prison. The bet- 
ter to enjoy the triumph, Dr. Mack and Mrs. Davies 
went to Lawrence, to my mother's house ; and he 
walked up to my sick husband, brutally saying, " Will 
Fletcher. I have come to tell you that your wife is in 
the Tombs, Copt. Lindmark ditto, and you will be 
there before to-morrow night." 

Having perpetrated this outrage, they jubilantly 
returned to Boston. My husband had an attack of 



124 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

heart-disease, so that a doctor was with him all night. 
The feelings and the condition of my family may be 
imagined, but can never be expressed. Mr. Fletcher 
came to Boston in the morning, and, without waiting 
to be arrested, gave bail for his appearance ; the case 
having been postponed for a fortnight to secure the 
presence of Mr. Morton, to wiiom we telegraphed at 
London, asking him to come with the papers by the 
first steamer. 

The charge against us at this time was larceny. We 
were charged with getting the beautiful young English 
heiress into our power, and robbing her of her inherit- 
ance. 

The case came on about the last of October, when 
such proofs were given of a conspiracy against us, 
that a warrant was issued for the arrest of Dr. Mack 
and Mrs. Hart-Davies. Mack was arrested, but I 
prevented the warrant being served upon his accom- 
plice. She swore on my trial that no such warrant 
had been issued ; though she was present with Mack 
when he was arrested, and knew that her name was 
also in the warrant. They were found together in a 
very low hotel in a not very reputable quarter of the 
New-England capital. 

When Dr. Mack had his hearing before the magis- 
trate, he was discovered to be one James McGeary, 
a leather-dealer who became bankrupt, and found it 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 125 

convenient to change his residence, his profession, and 
even his name. Of course he had a right to change 
all three, and to " better himself" generally, which I 
shall always be glad to see him do. As Dr. Mack, he 
came to England, and then spent some time on the 
Continent, I do not know in what capacity ; but in 
1875 he came out as a mesmeric healer, or healing 
medium. 

Finding himself under arrest, Mack failed to get 
bail, and sent a note to Mr. Fletcher by Signor Rondi, 
proposing an amicable settlement. Mr. Fletcher con- 
sented, if it were done in such a way as to show our 
innocence of the charges brought against us. Finally 
the hearing of Dr. Mack's case was postponed to the 
18th of November, while ours was to come on the fol- 
lowing day ; and Mack was bound over in his own 
recognizance of forty thousand dollars. 

Next day our case was again postponed for the pur- 
pose of settlement. We had a meeting at the office 
of Dr. Mack's lawyer ; and the terms of settlement 
were drawn up, by which Mrs. Hart-Davies agreed to 
return to us most of the property she had claimed in 
Boston ; to make over to us a portion of that left in 
Gordon Street, London ; to pay a hundred and forty 
pounds for expenses incurred in her behalf; and per- 
sonally, or through her solicitor, to completely exon- 
erate us from all the charges that had been brought 



126 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

against us. We agreed, on our part, to deliver up to 
her all other property belonging to her, and to abandon 
the legal proceedings. 

This settlement is a matter of record, and was wit- 
nessed by all present. It was specially provided that 
the property seized should be delivered to me for my 
inspection ; and within a certain date, I think the 29th 
of October, we were to deliver to Mrs. Hart-Davies 
her property in London, which she w T as to go and 
inspect, and then telegraph to us at Boston. 

The next day we expected the property there to be 
given to us according to the terms of the agreement. 
It did not come, nor on the next. After waiting a few 
days, we heard that Dr. Mack and Mrs. Hart-Davies 
had sailed for London, by which proceeding Mack had 
forfeited his recognizances of forty thousand dollars, 
and become in some sense, or to that amount, a fugi- 
tive from justice. 

It was expressly stipulated in the settlement that the 
property of Mrs. Hart-Davies at our house in London 
should be given to her or her order, and specially pro- 
vided that it was not to be given to Mack, and that he 
should not enter our house. Our first news of them in 
London came by a telegram informing us that Dr. Mack, 
Mrs. Heurtley (as she now preferred to be called) , and 
Mr. Abrahams her solicitor, had been to our house, 
and taken away all her property and much of ours. 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 127 

According to the letters that followed the telegram, 
the house had been ransacked from cellar to attic, and 
our papers and private correspondence seized, includ- 
ing all the letters of Mrs. Hart-Davies to us, thus 
robbing us of our means of defence. ■ 

All this, of course, was in direct violation of the 
formal settlement made at Boston, and under all the 
circumstances an outrage which I cannot trust myself 
to speak of as I think it deserves. It was not only 
an invasion of our house much worse than an ordinary 
burglar}', made in violation of a solemn agreement, 
but if there was, as pretended, a search-warrant, it 
must have been procured by downright perjury. In 
any case, there was robbery ; for on getting an order 
to search the Bedford Pantechnicon, after the term 
of my imprisonment, I found there a bundle of letters 
addressed to Mr. Fletcher and myself, and quantities 
of furniture, dresses, and other articles, which it was 
utterly impossible that Mrs. Hart-Davies could mis- 
take for her own. There were some articles, no doubt, 
difficult to identify. Whenever I had any doubt as to 
any article, I declined to claim it; but furniture, dresses, 
and jewels such as I found among the things removed 
by Mrs. Hart-Davies and her accomplices from my 
house, no one could mistake. My servants are able 
to swear to them. 

We were bound over in the sum of six hundred 



128 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

dollars (one hundred and twenty pounds), to remain 
until the 10th of November. Mr. Fletcher had been 
announced to resume his discourses at Steinway Hall 
in October. The whole matter seemed disastrous. 
Mack was busy using the English press against us ; 
and we were bitterly attacked, not only in the " Spirit- 
ualist," but in a short-lived weekly paper, w r hich was 
said to have been started by some friends of Mack, 
and certainly contained nothing of interest but its 
attacks upon the Fletchers. 

Early in November I received a letter from Mr. W. 
Eglinton, the well-known medium, telling me that Dr. 
Mack had applied for a warrant against us in London. 
On the 7th of November I received a letter from our 
friends Miss S. E. Gay and Mrs. Maltby, who had 
charge of our house, informing me that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies intended to have me arrested on my return. 
So in the first week of November I had every reason 
to believe I should be arrested, as I was, before I 
landed in England. 

The final hearing of our case in Boston had been 
set down for Nov. 10. On the 8th Dr. Mack tele- 
graphed to Mr. Ives, their counsel, that ill health pre- 
vented Mrs. Hart-Davies from returning, and asking 
for a postponement. Mr. Ives sent an open letter to 
the Court, saying, that, as the settlement made by his 
advice had not been carried out, he must abandon the 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PRISON. 129 

case. We were accordingly honorably discharged ; and 
on Nov. 15, 1880, I left New York by the steamer 
" Anchoria " for Greenock, previously announcing nry 
departure bj^ that steamer in the Boston papers, and 
stating my object in going to London; viz., to meet 
the accusations against me. I marked newspapers 
containing this announcement with a red pencil, and 
sent copies to Dr. Mack, to Mrs. Hart-Davies, and to 
the Bow-street magistrates, »which I think disposes of 
Mr. Abrahams' flourish about the herculean efforts of 
the police, which had happily resulted in my arrest. 

The following report of the final proceeding in the 
Boston Municipal Court, which will best show the ter- 
mination of the case in America, so soon to be revived 
in England, appeared in "The Boston Herald" of 
Nov. 10, 1880. 

THE FLETCHER LARCENY CASE COMES UP IN 
COURT, AND IS DISMISSED. 

In the Municipal Court, before Judge May, this forenoon, 
the often continued and well remembered case of Mr. J. 
William Fletcher and his wife Susan W. Fletcher was called. 
This case is one where the defendants, who are well known 
in Spiritualist circles, were charged with having obtained a 
large amount of property from one Julia Hart-Davies by false 
representations. When it was reached to-day, Major John W. 
Mahan, of counsel for the defendants, read the following letter 
from S. B. Ives, jun., counsel for Mrs. Davies: — 



130 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

United States Circuit Court, 
Boston, Nov. 10, 1880. 
My dear Major, — I am actually engaged iu the trial of a case here, 
and can't get away at present, perhaps not to-day. As you know, au 
arrangement was made between your clients and mine, in the matter of 
the complaint against Fletcher, for an adjustment of all matters in contro- 
versy, by which nearly all the goods claimed by my clieut were to be given 
up to Fletcher, and others surrendered by Fletcher to Madame Davies. I 
am sorry to say that this arrangement was not carried out, by no fault on 
your part or that of your clients, and that my client has fled the country. 
Under the circumstances I do not see that my presence in court can be of 
any service, as I could only say this, and that I could not ask that the pro- 
ceedings against the Fletchers should be kept alive any longer. 

Yours respectfully, 
John W. Mahan, Esq. STEPHEN B. IVES, Jun. 

Joseph EL Bradley, Esq., also counsel for the defence, 
addressed the Court briefly, contending that the relations 
between Mrs. Davies and the defendants were of a friendly 
nature until one Dr. Mack, seeking revenge on the defend- 
ants, poisoned the minds of Mrs. Davies, and induced her to 
make this prosecution. At all times the defendants were 
ready to meet the charges against them; and finally, to show 
that they did not have any dishonest intentions toward the 
complainant, they consented to an arrangement whereby the 
property, which remains intact, would be restored to her, 
although the proof was positive that the Fletchers were in 
legal possession of it. Finding that they had placed them- 
selves within the reach of the law for defamation of character, 
Mrs. Davies, and her adviser Dr. Mack, had left the country, 
and there is now no redress for Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher the 
defendants. 

The Court asked if there was any one to appear and prose- 
cute the defendants; and, being answered in the negative, he 
ordered the case to be dismissed. 



MY FIRST NIGHT IN PKISOX. 131 

Thus ended our prosecution in America, by our 
prosecutors running away to England to avoid the con- 
sequences of their own misdeeds, and to carry on their 
work where a stronger prejudice against Spiritualism 
might give them a better chance of success. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

FROM BOSTON TO BOW STREET, LONDON. 

In these troubles, the health of Mr. Fletcher, always 
feeble, had utterly broken down ; and his doctor would 
not hear of his facing a winter voyage across the 
Atlantic. I had concealed from him, and also from 
my parents, the fact of a warrant having been, in 
spite of the settlement on record in Boston, m sworn 
out against us in London. It was only on the very 
eve of my departure that any of my family had a 
suspicion of the fate that awaited me. When the 
carriage was at the door to take me to the railway, 
my boy Alvah, who was to drive me there, came and 
put his hand in mine. u Mamma," he said, " you may 
deceive grandpapa and grandmamma ; but you can't 
deceive me. I know that you expect to be arrested 
when you get to England, and that you are going 
over to take your trial." 

Poor mamma was nearly mad with the grief of part- 
ing with me, and my little sister clung to my neck 
until I was forced to tear myself from her. My 
132 



FROM BOSTON TO BOW STREET, LONDON. 133 

father, calm and strong, said, "My child, is this 
true?" 

" Yes, papa, I think it is. I thought it best to keep 
it from my husband, but I must go. I know all that 
will be said about it. They will call me foolhardy and 
crazy, and all that ; but I could not sleep if I left one 
stone unturned to prove my innocence. And dearer 
than that is 1113' desire to relieve Spiritualism from this 
scandal. Every friend we have in London has a right 
to demand that we clear ourselves of the stigma of 
these false accusations." 

"My child," he said, "I am not going to oppose 
you for an instant. If you feel it to be your duty 
to go to London, go. In your defence of what j t ou 
believe to be right I will stand by you, if it takes you 
to the scaffold." 

This was all the help I 'had. These partings with 
my loved ones were my real trial. What came after 
was of no account, in comparison. I did not tell my 
husband that I should be arrested, but he did every 
thing he could to keep me from going. He came with 
me as far as Springfield on the way to New York, and 
bore it as well as he could until the moment came 
when he had to leave the train ; then he broke down, 
and said, "O Bertie, Bertie! for God's sake don't 
go ! " And there came into his face at that supreme 
moment the anguish of all that was to come. 



134 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

For nvy part, I never had a greater evidence of 
supernatural assistance than the power that made me 
saj', " I must go," and which sustained him through 
that dreadful farewell. 

No one on the steamer recognized me as one who 
had become of late so notorious. The November gales 
gave us a rough passage ; but I was less affected by 
them than usual, and was glad to be able to give some 

help to others. Toward the end of our passage we 

* 

had one of the most frightful storms our captain had 
ever experienced. It seemed for hours as if we must 
go to the bottom. I was not in a condition to regard 
this as a calamity, for I knew that a much worse one 
awaited me. I cheered the women, and sang to them 
when it was possible to keep my seat at the piano- 
forte. 

When we had steamed out of the cyclone, the captain 
said, "I believe I never saw a person so free from 
care as you are. All the way, you have been as merry 
as a bird. I think we should give you a vote of thanks, 
for I don't know what we should have done without 
you." 

" Cap tain," I answered seriously, " you have been 
very kind to me, and I should like to tell you a little 
of my story. What would you say if I told you that 
I expected to be arrested before I leave your ship ? ' ' 

" Well, I should say you were taxing my credulity." 



FROM BOSTON TO BOW STREET, LONDON. 135 

" Captain, I do expect to be arrested ; and I think 
I ought to tell yon the fact and the reason why." 

So I told him who I was, and what I had come to 
meet. He urged me to return to America, not to land 
at all. "It is preposterous/' he said, " that you 
should be subjected to such an indignity." 

• " The warrant is out for me," I said. " My infor- 
mation is accurate on that point. I have not crossed 
the ocean for a pleasure-trip. I have come expressly 
to meet the charges against me." 

He said I need not go on to Greenock. ;i Why not 
land at Moville? You can leave us there, and go to 
London when and how you please, if you must go." 

Moville is the Irish landing-place for the Greenock 
steamers, as Queenstown is for those from Liverpool. 
When he found that I was determined to continue on 
my course, he only added, "Very well: then all you 
have to do is to tell me if I can do any thing to help 
you." 

"We arrived at Greenock about five p.m. I stood on 
deck watching for the officers. The captain came, and 
asked me if I saw them. 

" None that I can recognize as detectives," I said. 

"And no Mack?" 

"No Mack, so far." 

" Thank God ! " said he fervently, and went to see 
to his visitors. I sat waiting where he left me. 



136 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Pretty soon the captain came again, and said, " Mrs. 
Fletcher, take my arm. The officers are in the cabin. 
Shall I bring them here? " 

M No, captain. I will go to the saloon with you, and 
you can introduce my visitors." 

The captain brought Mr. Shrive, one of the London 
detectives, and introduced me to him. " This is Mrs. 
Fletcher," he said. " She is a lady, and is on my 
steamer. I have been on this line for seventeen years, 
and you know me. I hold n^-self responsible for the 
treatment of my lady-passengers, and I shall hold you 
responsible for her treatment afterward." 

The arrest was made so quietly and so politely, that 
though my fellow-passengers were all around me, and 
many came to say some parting words, not one of 
them knew what had happened. 

I was taken in a cab to the police-station, and treated 
not only with consideration, but with real kindness. 
The men looked at me, of course. They were com- 
paring me with a photograph which had been sent 
down from London. Photographs do not alwa}^ flat- 
ter those who sit for them ; and mine must have been 
very bad, for I was amused at a remark I overheard, 
" I say, Bob, bean't she handsomer than the pictur? " 

I certified to my identity, and was politely shown to 
the room of the chief of police, where I sat writing 
letters till three o'clock a.m. Every thing was done 



FROM BOSTON TO BOW STREET, LONDON. 137 

to make me comfortable. In the morning I was taken 
before the magistrate for some formality, and he did 
me the honor of calling upon me during the forenoon. __ 

Mr. Shrive, who had come to escort me to London, 
did every thing he could for my comfort. I was 
struck with a remark of the female searcher, who was 
of course obliged to perform her function. She said, 
"I knew there was nothing about you." How well 
they are able to read human nature ! 

On the way to London, Mr. Shrive was unremitting 
.in his kindness. I was very tired after my sleepless 
night, and he begged me to rest my head upon cush- 
ions he had arranged. An old Scottish lady sitting 
opposite felt sure we were sweethearts, and was kindly 
sympathetic, declaring that she had been young her- 
self. 

When we arrived at Euston, Mr. Shrive took a cab, 
and did his best not to take me to Bow Street, where 
the old lock-up, then nearing its last days, he knew 
well was crowded and dirt}' and dreadful. But the 
better station to which he first took me was full. The 
cab went through Gordon Street. My house was 
lighted up, and the shadow of my bird-cage was pic- 
tured very prettily on the blind. It was a little hard, 
and very needless, I thought, to take me past the 
home I so dearly loved, and through the Seven Dials 
and the slums of Drury Lane, to those horrible cells 



138 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

in Bow Street — as if I t who had come three thousand 
miles to be arrested, was likely to try to escape. 

Capt. Lindmark, who left the United States for 
London early in November, met me at the Euston 
station, and, though not expecting me, came, as his 
angel directed, to the door of the railway-carriage in 
which I was. Later he came to Bow Street, where, 
in spite of the crowd, Mr. Shrive had managed to get 
me a cell all to myself. Capt. Lindmark, with his ever 
prescient, never failing, and always most gentlemanly 
kindness, got me a most comfortable rug, and ordered 
me a supper. I was made as comfortable as was pos- 
sible in such a place ; and in the morning I made my 
first appearance in the famous police-court in Bow 
Street, before the bigoted, partial, and prejudiced 
Mr. Flowers, who had sentenced Henry Slade to three 
months' imprisonment as a rogue and vagabond, and 
where, sitting in the chair of Henry Fielding, he was 
destined to see me before him in the prisoner's dock 
through many weary sessions. 



CHAPTER XIX. 

BEFORE MR. FLOWERS AT BOW STREET. 

Ox the 3d of December, 1880, I made my first 
appearance at the ancient central police-court in Bow 
Street, close b} r Covent Garden Market and Opera 
House, — a gloomy, stuffy, wretched old place, which 
was soon after abandoned for the splendid and spa- 
cious new edifice then just completed. 

Of this bad old place I ani happy to testify, that 
from first to last I was treated by its officers with 
every possible kindness. I took my place in the pris- 
oner's dock, in front of Mr. Flowers, who happened 
to be the one of the three magistrates that day on 
duty, and who, having had the case of Henry Slade, 
had had some experience of Spiritualism. 

The report of the proceedings in the "Times" of 
Dec. 4 occupies a column and a half, a very unusual 
space for a preliminary proceeding. It is headed 
"Charge against a Spiritualist," a rather unusual 
kind of heading. How would " Charge against a 
Methodist," or " Charge against a Baptist," look, for 

139 



140 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

example? It displayed a prejudice at the beginning. 
A humane maxim of the law presumes the innocence 
of any one accused of crime until he is proved guilty. 
I was charged with fraud. The fact that I was avow- 
edly a Spiritualist medium was, to the great body of 
the people, prima facie evidence of guilt. 

The prosecutrix, Mrs. Hart-Davies, was u accommo- 
dated with a seat" in the witness-box, at the right of 
the magistrate. The pen in which the public is per- 
mitted to stand was packed, as is usual in interesting 
cases. As tnany of my friends were present as could 
get admission, and among them some enthusiastic 
ladies, who, with more zeal than discretion, brought 
me large bouquets of flowers. 

Mr. S. B. Abrahams, described in the reports as a 
solicitor, is a Hebrew lawyer, whose practice seems 
confined to the alternate prosecution and defence of 
persons accused of irregularities in various police- 
courts. In New York he would be called a u Tombs 
law3 7 er." It is but just to say, that, whether he 
attacks or defends, he is equally energetic, and equally 
free from that bane of 4:he profession, scruples. The 
maxim so often attributed to the Jesuits, u the end 
justifies the means," is necessarily the rule of the legal 
profession. According to Erskine, no barrister has a 
right to refuse a retainer, either to prosecute the inno- 
cent or to clef end 4:he guilty. 



BEFORE MR. FLOWERS AT BOW STREET. 141 

Mr. Abrahams, who * solemnlj T puts on his shining 
silk hat whenever he takes an oath, had a few months 
before ably and successfully defended Miss Houghton, 
a healing medium whom I knew in America. She had 
been visited by that remarkable protege of Lord Shaftes- 
bury, and anti - spiritualist clergyman, Mr. Charles 
Stuart Cumberland, who pretended to consult her for 
rheumatism, took a box of homoeopathic pillules, and, 
leaving half a crown upon her table, went and swore 
out a summons at Marlborough-street police-court for 
fraud. Mr. Abrahams was selected as the most fit 
and proper person to grapple with such an antagonist. 
He denounced Mr. Cumberland as an impostor, whose 
real name was Charles Garland, a butcher's clerk at 
Oxford, and got poor Miss Houghton out of the 
clutches of the law, and finally compelled Garland, 
alias " Charles Stuart Cumberland, " the exposed 
exposer, to abandon the prosecution. Mr. Abrahams 
then proposed to prosecute him for perjury, and 
induced several Spiritualists to contribute a guinea 
each for this purpose. He has never brought the 
charge ; but, as I presume the etiquette of the profes- 
sion requires, he has carefully kept the guineas. 

Mr. Abrahams, the reader will remember, headed 
the raid made on my house in Gordon Street in my 
absence, in which the property claimed by Mrs. Hart- 
Davies, including a -quantity that never belonged to 



142 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

her, and all our letters, disappeared, and a portion of 
which I found later on stored at the Bedford Pan- 
technicon. 

The formal charge against me at Bow Street was 
for being concerned, with my husband, in unlawfully 
obtaining three strings of Oriental pearls and other 
jewelry, by means of false pretences, with intent to 
defraud Juliet Anne Theodora Heurtley Richard Hart- 
Davies. 

" The prisoner having been accommodated with a 
seat in the dock," — I quote the report in the 
" Times," — " Mr. Abrahams proceeded to open the 
case at very great length. He said the charge was 
one of the most extraordinary nature. The prisoner 
had conspired with her husband to defraud the prose- 
cutrix of a great amount of valuable property, and 
had obtained large quantities of jewelry and other 
valuable effects. The prosecutrix was a married wo- 
man not now living with her husband." 

Going on with the story, no doubt as told him by 
Mrs. Davies and Dr. Mack, Mr. Abrahams gave a 
highly colored account of the first acquaintance of 
Mr. Fletcher with his patient at Farquhar Lodge. 
" There was no doubt," Mr. Abrahams suggested, 
"that Mr. Hart-Davies told many events of his life, 
etc., to Fletcher, a point which it was important to 
bear in mind, inasmuch as it solved the mystery of 



BEFORE MR. FLOWERS AT BOW STREET. 143 

the ' spiritual ' messages which eventually came to the 
prosecutrix, and which had so much bearing on the 
prosecution." 

It seems rather remarkable, if such was the case, 
that Mr. Hart-Davies was never, from first to last, 
called upon to testify. 

"When Fletcher was introduced to Mrs. Hart- 
Davies," continued this son of Abraham, — " he hav- 
ing previously acquired a great deal of information 
respecting her mother, her antecedents, etc., from her 
own husband, — he knew she was the daughter of Mrs. 
Heurtley, a lady of very large fortune, who lived at 
Hampton Court House, Hampton Court. Mrs. Heurt- 
ley, at the death of her mother and brother, Mr. 
Sampson, came into property worth over one hundred 
thousand pounds. This was known to the man 
Fletcher, as would be proved by a memorandum in 
his own handwriting, setting forth the whole of the 
property which by and by, if she lived, the prosecu- 
trix would inherit." 

Let me pause in this romance to say, that the amount 
of Mrs. Davies's property, actual and prospective, is 
here exaggerated, perhaps twenty-fold, and that the 
late Mr. Sampson, formerly financial editor of the 
"Times," was not the brother of Mrs. Heurtley. 
They lived together, and he bestowed upon her a 
considerable amount of property ; but there was no 
such lawful relationship. 



144 TWELVE MOUTHS IN ^EISQtf. 

Mr. Abrahams proceeded to read long messages, 
written down from memory by Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
which she said had been given her through Mr. 
Fletcher in their early interviews, advising her to seek 
genial society, and do what was needful for her health. 
It seems very improbable that one should remember 
so great a quantity of matter with accuracy, and 
highly probable, that, in any but a " Spiritualist " 
case, a magistrate would have hesitated to admit such 
matter as evidence. 

Mr. Abrahams said, that, " as Mrs. Davies had 
never seen Mr. Fletcher before, she was simply as- 
tounded at these messages from her dead mother." It 
did not occur to her that her husband had been care- 
fully coaching Mr. Fletcher in the history of her life. 
But why was lie not in court? and why was he never 
called upon to prove it? 

" On the fifth occasion," said Mr. Abrahams, " Mrs. 
Fletcher was introduced upon the scene, having, no 
doubt, also been made thoroughly acquainted with the 
history of the prosecutrix, to whom she was most 
affectionate. She would be charged with conspiring 
with a man not yet in custody [Mr. Morton] in obtain- 
ing jewelry, and, among other things, some lace worth 
four thousand pounds, and in fact every thing which 
she possessed. [This wonderful box of lace, which 
no one has ever seen !] 



BEFORE MR. FLOWERS AT BOW STREET. 145 

"It would be shown, that, under the influence of 
the Fletchers and the other man, the prosecutrix was 
induced to sign a will in the prisoner's favor. After 
signing the will, Mrs. Hart-Davies began to feel ill, 
especially after drinking some coffee and other things 
provided by the prisoner. Mr. Abrahams did not 
know to what this might lead, but he thought it suffi- 
cient to allude to the fact." 

This charge of an attempt to murder made, as was 
intended, a strong impression upon the magistrate, 
and, no doubt, also upon the public. It justified Mr. 
Flowers in refusing bail ; though it was urged by Mr. 
Flegg, who had been engaged by some friends to 
appear in my behalf, that, as I had crossed the Atlan- 
tic as soon as informed of the charge against me, it 
was highly improbable that I would wish to escape 
from an investigation I had come so far to meet. 

But Mr. Flowers, in view of the immense robbery, 
and attempt to murder, with which I was charged, 
refused to admit me to bail. 

"The prisoner was removed from the dock; and 
three ladies, each holding a bouquet, two of which 
were white, emblematic of purity, tried to get at her 
as she was removed to the ceils." As if I were a crip- 
ple unable to walk, or some wild beast requiring as 
much force as poor Jumbo to remove me ! 

In spite of all Mr. Abrahams had said of my being 



146 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

a robber, and probably guilty of an intent to murder, 
the magistrate, "Mr. Flowers, expressed a hope that 
the prisoner would be properly treated while in cus- 
tody." 

As if prisoners simply accused of crimes, and pre- 
sumed to be innocent until proved guilty, could ever 
be improperly treated ! 



CHAPTER XX. 

I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL, AND THE GOVERNMENT PROSE- 
CUTES. 

The worthy magistrate at Bow Street did not long 
persevere in his determination to keep me safe in her 
Majesty's prison at Clerkenwell. There was not much 
to complain of there, only that it is a prison. A per- 
son accused of crime, still innocent in the e3~es of the 
law, should have every comfort consistent with safe- 
keeping. No doubt this principle has been to some 
extent lost sight of; and accused persons, poor debt- 
ors, and even witnesses who were unable to find sure- 
ties for their appearance at trial to give testimony, 
have been treated as if they were criminals. 

After the charge had been made against me at Bow 
Street by Mr. Abrahams, I sent for a solicitor recom- 
mended to me as an honorable man and a lawyer 
of ability and experience in criminal procedure, Mr. 
Edward Dillon Lewis. He entered warmly and sym- 
pathetically into the case in every respect but one. He 
was not a Spiritualist. He had had no opportunity 

147 



148 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

of witnessing the phenomena, and had no belief in 
their reality. Filled as the age is with an utterly mate- 
rialistic agnosticism, I could hardly expect to find an 
English solicitor or barrister who had any knowledge 
of the subject. There are a few, I believe ; but it was 
not my good fortune to know them. 

In the case of Mr. D. D. Home, the solicitor and 
barristers who clef ended him were Spiritualists ; and 
many witnesses testified to the reality of his manifes- 
tations. But, nevertheless, he was compelled to give 
back to Mrs. Lyon the sixty thousand pounds she 
had forced upon him. In his case, however, though 
exactly similar to mine, there was only a civil suit in 
chancery. Mr. Home was never prosecuted as a crimi- 
nal, was never a day in prison, and was condemned to 
no penalty but the restoration of the property. Had 
there been in England a law of adoption such as 
exists in every other civilized county, Mrs. Lyon, 
who had adopted him as her son, could not have capri- 
ciously abandoned him, and reclaimed her benefactions. 

The first service Mr. Lewis did me was to make 
such a representation of my case to Mr. Flowers as to 
induce him to admit me to baiL Possibly the fact that 
I had come so far to defend myself and those dear to 
me from unfounded accusations may have had some 
influence : at all events, Mr. Flowers fixed my bail at 
two thousand pounds, my own recognizances in one 



I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL. 149 

thousand pounds with two sureties in five hundred each. 
Two steadfast friends who had known me for years 
came forward to bail me,- — Hexsleigh Wedge wood, 
Esq., a man of property and scientific reputation, a 
relation by marriage of the late Charles Darwix, and 
for fifty years a London magistrate, and Dr. T. L. 
Nichols, the well-known writer on sanitary and social 
science. 

These gentlemen signed my bail-bonds, to the sur- 
prise, no doubt, of some who had listened to the rodo- 
montades of Mr. Abrahams ; and I was free to return 
to my house at 22 Gordon Street, and await the slow 
progress of my Bow-street examinations. 

It was my misfortune, that, a short time before this 
case arose, the government had appointed a public 
prosecutor, an official to investigate complaints, and 
decide what cases should be prosecuted at the cost of 
the treasury. As this is and has been the practice 
in all civilized countries but England, nothing can be 
said against it. But at first it strongly prejudiced every 
case selected for government prosecution ; because it 
was a novelty, and because people naturally thought a 
case selected by the government must be one of pecul- 
iar atrocity. The selection of cases must have this 
effect. The government should prosecute in all cases, 
as in America, France, and other countries, or not at 
all. Now the government takes up sensational cases, 



150 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

and leaves others, quite as bad, for private prosecution. 
The newspapers had made mine a sensational case. 
The police-reports were headed, " The Extraordinary 
Spiritualist Case," and filled whole columns, while 
an ordinary felony passed with little notice. 

From whatever motives or representations, Mr. 
Henry Vincent, chief of the Investigation of Crime 
Department of Home Offiee, Scotland Yard, decided to 
take up the case, and instructed Mr. Wontner, the 
solicitor of the treasury, to prosecute. So on Friday, 
Jan. 21, 1882, when I drove in the deep snow to Bow 
Street, I found the suave Mr. Wontner read}' to re- 
open the case ; while the belligerent Mr. Abrahams, 
with his long curved nose quite out of joint, yet in- 
sisted that lie had a right to watch the case for his 
clients, and do what he could to assist the treasury. 
Mr. Wontner consented with a very bad grace, and 
snubbed his coadjutor contemptuously. All this I 
could watch very well from my commanding position 
in the prisoner's dock, where I sat wrapped in rugs, 
and with hot- water bottles at my feet, kindly brought 
me by a friendly policeman. 

fct The court," said the u Times " report, "was 
crowded in every part with ladies and gentlemen of 
c Spiritualist ' renown, and well-known ' mediums.' 

64 Mr. Wontner, who now appeared on behalf of the 
public prosecutor, said he did not desire to again open 



I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL. 151 

the case, but he wished to explain away some of the 
statements made by Mr. Abrahams, particularly one 
with regard to 'free-love.' Mr. Abrahams had mis- 
understood what had been said." 

In his sense of ;t freedom," and in his understand- 
ing of " love," Mr. Abrahams, as doubtless instructed, 
had been characteristically abusive ; but I think it 
highly improbable that there was any " misunder- 
standing " in the matter. The object of the prosecu- 
tion had been to blacken my character in every way, 
which has also been done out of court by hideous and 
persistent slander. Mr. Wontner thought it better not 
to complicate the case with irrelevant matters. 

In the same way the charge of attempting to mur- 
der the prosecutrix was quietly abandoned. 

Mr. Abrahams having been snubbed, and these cob- 
webs brushed away, Mr. Lewis desired to know what 
the charges against me really were, — conspiracy, or 
larceny, or what? Mr. Wontner declined to make any 
specific declaration; and Mr. Flowers decided that I 
was there to answer to an}' charge that might be pre- 
ferred against me, and expressed his intention to accept 
evidence that was offered on any point. 

Then Mrs. Hart-Da vies was sworn in her own pecul- 
iar fashion. Listening to the rapidl} 7 uttered formula, 
— in which " you solemnly swear, so help you God " 
runs off like an alarum, — instead of kissing, or pre- 



152 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

tending to kiss, the cover of an unknown book, she 
carefully opened it, and deliberately kissed some clean 
spot on the printed page. It was very carefully done, 
but it did in no way hinder her from making false 
declarations. 

The testimony consisted chiefly of readings from 
Mrs. Hart-Davies's diary (in which she had recorded 
from memory spirit-messages purporting to come from 
her mother) , and about eighty letters said to have been 
written by Mr. Fletcher or myself . Of course no 
proof of their authenticity was given but the oath of 
the principal, and really, as Mr. Justice Hawkins after- 
ward acknowledged, the sole witness. 

The following, from the report in the "Daily Tele- 
graph," gives what the reporter considered most im- 
portant and significant : — 

" Witness was next handed her diary; and her attention 
was called to the following entry : — 

"'Spirit flowers and gems. Mamma's spirit-flower, lily -of -the-valley ; 
her gem, opal : Percy's spirit -flower, Lancaster rose; his gem, ruby : Juliet's 
(complainant herself) spirit-flower, gardenia; her gem, emerald: Julian's 
flower, moss-rosebud; his gem, moonstone: baby Juliet (in heaven), lily-of- 
the-valley; her gem, pearls. She wears a portrait medallion surrounded 
with pearls; Gasparde, tulip and carbuncle. Given by our angel-mother 
through the claraudient mediumship of Mrs. Fletcher.' 

" This entry witness said she made at the dictation of the 
defendant, who was in a trance. In another letter Mr. 
Fletcher said he was writing a most interesting ghost-story, 
and the spirits kept interrupting with raps ; one of their mes- 



I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL. 153 

sages being to the effect that the spirits would never be happy 
till they had read his work. One of the most important of 
the other letters read contained the following extract, written 
in a constrained hand by Mrs. Fletcher: — 

" * Mamma comes in just now, and says, " Burn all those letters, leaving 
not one vestige of them escape that has a word of this complication in it. I 
will satisfy my child's mind of the purity of Willie's mind, and also his 
complete trust in her. Tell her God bless her. I will take Willie's dear 
soul to her, and bring hers back to him, and love you all most tenderly all 
the time." ' 

" All together, about eighty letters and messages were read, 
among them the following, purporting to have been dictated 

by spirits: — 

SPIRIT MESSAGES. 

Sphere of Rest in the Spirit World. 
My loved Child, — My thoughts are ever with you, and the arms of 
my spirit infold you. I try to breathe life and strength into you, that you 
may yet feel the happiness of life. You are never alone unseen : ours watch 
and guard, and blend their life with yours. The struggles of life are pass- 
ing. Soon the trials will be over, and then I shall bring all my loved of 
earth together for a season of sweet enjoyment. There were no tokens of 
love that I could give to my loved ones this Christmas time ; but I breathed 
my blessing over each dear life, and treasured the pure blossoms of the 
spirit around them, for human loves seem very weak compared to that which 
now fills up my life and thoughts : and the old year is dying. With it may 
your pains cease, and your troubles pass away ! May the new year bring 
happiness for my dear ones ! Do not be troubled by the lack of sympathy 
aunt and others of her kind may manifest. They belong to a different world. 
It was always so. Heaven's sunshine face, warm and bright, around three. 
Your loving mother, Themis. 

22 Gordon Street, Gordon Square, W. C, 
January, 1880. 
My dearest Juliet, — Once more I raise the pen of a loved one to 
commune with you, and to try and give your poor heart hope and courage, 



154 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that you may endure life's troubles to the end, that you may bear the cross 
uncomplainingly, and thereby be made ready for heaven's blessed rest and 
peace. Let your heart rest content. I am ever guarding and guiding you, 
and holding sweet communion with your spirit. As to aunt, why trouble? 
She is not an accountable being, and has never had any sympathy with us. 
To her we were another race of beings, and belonged to a different sphere, 
with which she has not the smallest feeling in common. We must not 
expect " figs from thistles." To a common nature like hers the letter was 
only wasted. The vulgarity was not apparent. Remembering this, it is far 
better to ignore that which, as my daughter, you cannot condescend to 
notice. I am glad to find your heart happier. The warm spring-time will 
soon be here. May it bring happiness and health to all my loved ones! 
God's blessing be ever with thee is thy mother's prayer. 

Hampton House, Bushet Park, Hampton Court, S.W. 
Angels' greetings to you, my loved one. Sweet child of mine, I breathe 
forth my love and blessing ; for I have felt your warm and true love about 
me, and knew there was one of my earthly children who remembered me, 
who treasured thoughts of the past, while Willie and Bertie have both held 
in sweet reverence the day and my memory. I fell to write to you upon 
this paper. But how the recollections flow in upon me as I see the well- 
remembered name! — joys that are past, friends lost to sight, sorrows whose 
stings still remain, all pass before me; then the blessed change from the 
land of winter to the land of summer sunshine, from darkness unto light; 
and then the long, weary nights of pain which followed, when my earthly 
loved ones were made to suffer and endure, and deceit and wrong seemed to 
rise up on every side; and then, blessed privilege! I was permitted to return 
to them, and breathe the thoughts and desires of my life upon them. Oh, 
sweet one, can I ever tell you how happy it has made me to be with you, 
and read your every thought and purpose! The cross laid upon you is 
changing, and ere long the tired head will find rest. Would that life could 
bring in the knowledge that comes after life ! would that I could have under- 
stood you then as now ! We shall one day stand side by side, and reap then 
the blessings and joys that were denied to us on earth. I know that Bertie 
and Willie will do all that loving hearts can suggest to make the sweet one 
happy and peaceful. 1 have looked upon Percy to-day : he lives in the pres- 
ent, not the past or the future. Sweet child, (rod's blessing fall upon you ! 



I AM ADMITTED TO BAIL. 155 

Mother's love will ever be about you and earthly friends. Show childish 
trust of future, and I will bear thee safely through with the love" of 
Themis. 

It is not to be forgotten that Mrs. Hart-Davies at 
this time professed to be, and appeared to be, an 
enthusiastic Spiritualist, and that she also believed 
herself to be a medium, and that she professed to have 
seen and had communication with her departed mother 
before she ever came to us. She was and is, no 
doubt, highly imaginative, with a poetical tempera- 
ment. 

I give these specimens of the testimony now, but 
will reserve the rest, as the whole case was necessarily 
and very tiresomely gone over again in the trial at the 
Central Criminal Court, which ended in my conviction. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



A CROSS-EXAMINATION. 



On Jan. 22, 1880, the streets of London were 
almost impassable from the depth of snow. A favorite 
actress, unable to get cab or carriage, was taken to 
her theatre in a Pickford's van. With some difficulty 
I made my way to Bow Street in a brougham, provided 
by a friend whose kindness was the more watchful, the 
more it was needed ; and I had my usual escort, a 
friend who stood beside me from first to last, — from 
the outer door through the dim crowd of curious spec- 
tators, to my place of honor, the prisoner's dock. 

u The Extraordinary Charge against Spiritual- 
ists " headed the attractive column in the newspapers 
with " world-wide circulation," or " the largest circu- 
lation in the world." 

6 ' The court was more crowded than on the previous 
day. 

" On the sitting of the Court, the complainant was 
again placed in the witness-box, and her cross-exami- 
nation by Mr. Edward Lewis at once proceeded with. 
156 



A CROSS-EXAMINATION. 157 

"Witnesses on both sides were ordered out of 
court. ' ' 

Dr. Mack marched out unwillingly ; while Mr. Har- 
rison, editor of the u Spiritualist," who had secured 
a good place behind the government solicitor, refused 
to go at all. Mr. Lewis insisted ; Mr. Abrahams 
warmly defended his right to remain ; Mr. Wontner 
did not thank Mr. Abrahams for his interference. 
After a w T hile Mr. Harrison indignantly marched out ; 
and Mr. Lewis began his cross-examination, which I 
give as it was very much condensed in the report of 
the " Daily Telegraph." 

Mrs. Hart-Davies, cross-examined by Mr. Lewis, said, I see 
no reason to modify the evidence I gave on the second occa- 
sion. It has been modified by Mr. Wontner, and I wish it to 
remain as it now stands. I adhere in all respects to my evi- 
dence given on the first occasion, when I was examined by Mr. 
Wontner, both as to the facts as to which I deposed and the 
opinions I then expressed. I then said that through Mr. 
Fletcher I had re-found my mother. That is the present state 
of my belief, very much modified. I still believe I had found 
my dear mother. I do not wish to modify that part of the 
statement. When I said I found my mother, I did not mean it 
in the sense that I could communicate with her. I meant that 
it was from the lips of Mr. Fletcher that I learned for the first 
time the glorious truth of the. actual presence of the dead here 
with us. I did not mean that wholly in the sense of being 
able to communicate with them, but partly in that sense. 

In what other sense ? — That, under certain conditions, they 



158 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

may have the power of communicating with living persons. 
I was a neophyte at that time, and knew very little about 
the matter. 

Do you at this moment conscientiously believe that the 
spirits of the departed have the power of communicating with 
mortals? — Under certain circumstances. 

Do you believe that the spirit of your departed mother has 
the power of communicating with you? — Under certain cir- 
cumstances she may. 1 do not know whether all spirits have 
the power. 

Do you believe that your departed mother has communicated 
with you ? — Yes ; modified. 

What do you mean by modified ? — Because, since the first 
communications of my mother, I have learned to consult my 
common sense. 

When did you first learn that? — My eyes were opened on 
my way to America. 

Has your common sense increased since the 21st of last 
month, when you were examined here? — I hope it may 
always increase. 

By the way, what is your age ? — Thirty-eight. 

Is the state of your belief in the same state as it was on 
Dec. 21 ? — It is in statu quo. 

Did you on Dec. 21 avow that you knew your mother had 
been present with you ? — To the best of my belief she had 
been. I did not say Fletcher was in a state of clairvoyance. 
Trance was the word I used. I spoke of my mother and the 
veneration I had for her. There is a difference between clair- 
voyance and trance. In a trance one is unconscious, but 
clairvoyance is merely second sight. I believe in clairvoyance. 
I did say I believed Fletcher had derived his information about 
me by clairvoyance. That belief is very much modified. I 
made the case in my evidence as mild as I possibly could. 



A CROSS-EXAMINATION. 159 

Have you altered your determination to make it as mild 
as you can ? — That depends upon the cross-examination. 
[Laughter.] 

Mr. Lewis. — You will not deter me from doing my duty. 
I know the weapons I have in my hand. A number of letters 
were read yesterday: are those the only ones you received 
from Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher ? — They are all that I can find. 
Possibly I received others. I was surprised at so many being 
preserved. According to the best of my belief, the letter of 
June 30, 1879, was the first I received from Mr. or Mrs. 
Fletcher. I certainly did not receive over two hundred letters 
from them. One or two letters were destroyed by the orders 
of Mrs. Fletcher, which I obeyed as I would have obeyed a 
sister's orders. When I visited Mrs. Fletcher's house in Gor- 
don Street I swear I did not remove a single letter that I had 
written to her. 

Mr. Lewis handed the witness a number of letters, which 
were identified by her as being in her handwriting. 

Cross-Examination continued. — I was not a believer in Spir- 
itualism as taught by Spiritualists until I met the Fletchers. 
I was unconsciously a Spiritualist. I seem to have been 
standing at the gates all my life. I accept Spiritualism in its 
higher phases. I Relieve in the immortality of souls, and the 
presence of the departed amongst us, and in progress in our 
after-life. 

Is that Spiritualism ? — It is, in the higher phases. 

On how many occasions do you claim your mother held 
converse with you ? — Claim! I make no claim. I remember. 
She held converse with me on three successive nights. 

Did you communicate that fact to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher ? 
— Xo doubt, at some time or other. These apparitions of my 
mother occurred about the year 1876. I saw the spirit, but did 



160 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

not speak to it. It appeared to me as a vision, and spoke to 
me. Such an occurrence may have come to me subsequently, 
as it does to other people, in dreams. 

Do you mean these were dreams? — I don't know. They 
may have been. I was in my bed. I don't remember whether 
such a thing has occurred when I have been up and about. I 
will undertake to swear I have not written to Mrs. Fletcher 
giving her a message I had received from my mother. I am 
not a medium. I have not received such messages. Since 
1S76 I have had what appeared to be a vision of my mother. 
When I was ill in Tours, she seemed to come to take me away 
or comfort me. I was alone, abroad, and ill. It is possible I 
may have asserted that my mother appeared to me in a vision 
in 1879. I have always asserted it was in a vision or a dream. 
I do not remember whether I have ever stated that my mother 
appeared to me while I was awake arid in the act of writing. 
I do not remember the fact. (A letter dated Sept. 3, 1879, 
was then handed to witness. ) I remember that letter. I was 
staying with my aunt at Sandgate. I remember the whole 
thing now. My mother's presence seemed to be around me as 
a breath of air. I believed that then. I felt a sort of happi- 
ness. 

Me. Flowers. — Half the poets in the world have felt that 
sort of thing. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Lewis then read the letter, which referred to witness's 
cool reception by her aunt and the company in the house at 
Sandgate, and stated how, not listening to the conversation, 
she held silent and unsuspected communion with her mother, 
whose soft, familiar breath she felt upon her hands. It also 
spoke of the dear brother and sister who had led her back to 
her mother. 

Mr. Flowers thought that a letter that might very well have 



A CEOSS-EXAMINATION. 161 

been read by the prosecution. He hoped Mr. Lewis would not 
unnecessarily prolong the case. 

Mr. Lewis said he must make a foundation for a perfectly 
serious cross-examination upon the facts. He suggested this 
as a convenient time for an adjournment. 

Mr. Flowers said there was other business before the Court, 
and consented to the adjournment." 

It was Mr. Lewis's object to show that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies had been a Spiritualist, and believed herself to 
be a medium, long before she had become acquainted 
with us ; that we had not led her into this belief. Mr. 
Harrison has, since the trial, published a letter from 
Mrs. Davies, giving some of her spiritual experiences 
at a date anterior to our acquaintance. 

It was evident from the beginning, that Mr. Flowers 
had made up his mind to send the case to the Criminal 
Court for trial. The fact that the government had 
adopted the prosecution probably had its influence : 
therefore he hoped that Mr. Lewis would not unneces- 
sarily prolong the case. But Mr. Lewis had a conscience 
in the matter, a professional conscience, which urged 
him to do his duty to his client ; and he also held in his 
hands documentary proofs of the true character of the 
prosecutrix, which would have proved her to be among 
the lowest of even abandoned women, and which he 
thought necessary to my defence to lay before the 
public. It was an error of judgment on his part. He 



162 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

had no idea of the prejudice, the vindictive hatred, of 
a large portion of the public against Spiritualism : to 
them it did not matter what she was ; my character 
alone being criticised. 

To him it was a delusion : tg a vast number, the 
feeling against it is the hereditary feeling that made 
the people of England and America hang or burn 
witches. The last witch was burned in Scotland in 
1710. Sir Matthew Hale sentenced witches to death 
much later. Since I have been in England, a poor 
old man was driven into a pond and drowned by a mob 
of people who believed him to be a wizard. 

An Act of Parliament passed in the reign of George 
III. makes the pretence of witchcraft, sorcery, etc., a 
misdemeanor punishable with a year's imprisonment ; 
and the ninth count of the indictment found against 
me by an English grand jury — probably without read- 
ing, or hearing it read, but simply because it had been 
drawn up by the solicitor of the treasury — charged 
me with this terrible offence of pretending to be a sor- 
ceress. It is true that some newspapers ridiculed it ; 
but the old anti-witchcraft feeling, which destroyed 
millions of probably innocent men, women, and even 
children, all over Europe, now active against Spiritu- 
alism, was the basis of my prosecution, and secured 
my conviction. 

On Jan. 28 Mr. Lewis was too ill to attend at Bow 



A CKOSS-EXAMTXATION. 163 

Street. His clerk asked for an adjournment ; but Mr. 
Wontner, the government prosecutor, would not con- 
sent. Mr. James McGeary, alias Dr. Mack, gave his 
testimony at length, proving the surrender of all the 
property of Mrs. Hart-Davies in our possession in 
America, the prompt and cheerful surrender on our 
part, and the arrest of himself and Mrs. Davies for 
some portion of their proceedings. He testified, that, 
though under bonds of forty thousand dollars to answer 
for this in America, he came to London to see after the 
property here ; that Mrs. Davies followed him ; that he 
consulted with the officials at Scotland Yard, who were 
not then inclined to interfere in the matter. Then he 
went to Mr. Abrahams ; and, acting under his advice, 
he went with him to 22 Gordon Street, Gordon Square, 
and was present while Mrs. Hart-Davies removed 
her property — as well as our letters, and many other 
things which never belonged to her. 

The last witness this day was Mr. Shrives, who 
arrested me at Greenock, and escorted me to London. 

Mr. Wontner here asked for an order from the magis- 
trate to enable Mrs. Hart-Davies and the police to search 
the property now at the Pantechnicon. The managers 
of that place refused to allow such a search without an 
order from the magistrate. 

Mr. Flowers expressed his willingness to grant the 
order. 



164 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Wontner said, that, subject to the cross-exami- 
nation, that would be the case. 

The further hearing was then adjourned for a fort- 
night to enable Mr. Lewis to attend. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUED. 

The case of the government had been completed, 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, the only witness of the least impor- 
tance, had given her testimony, and been bound over, 
in her own recognizances of a thousand pounds, to 
appear at the Criminal Court as a witness ; and I had 
been formally remanded to allow Mr. Lewis to cross- 
examine this witness. 

The course now decided upon by Mr. Lewis, as 
absolutely necessary to my defence, was a very pain- 
ful one to all concerned. I had received this woman 
as a sister : I had loved her and trusted her. I knew 
something of her past life and of her peculiar tem- 
perament, and what I regarded as a diseased condi- 
tion. It was not for me to condemn her, but to do my 
best to save her. I pitied her deeply before she had 
so utterly debased herself in every one's eyes. I 
thought that if I, and a few devoted women whom 
I knew, could put strong and loving arms around her, 

165 



166 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

she might be saved from evil impulses, and become, 
with her bright intelligence, a blessing to the world. 

After she had turned against us, by a strange 
chance a packet of papers belonging to a gentleman 
with whom she had been criminally intimate came into 
the possession of my solicitor. 

These letters were used with the full knowledge of 
their former owner, as he believed that he had been 
one of the unwitting causes of my misfortune. It was 
her jealousy, her foolish, groundless, wicked jealousy 
of him, he believed, that had made her turn against 
me, and filled her with a desire to be revenged. 

Who that has read my story carefully will feel in- 
clined to believe that any good motive caused her, or 
w T oulcl induce any one possessed of the fine, modest, 
delicate feelings for which women are especially be- 
loved, to betray the family with whom they have lived 
and professed to love ; to appear for days and weeks 
in the loathsome precincts of a police-court, and to be 
the means of condemning one of her own sex to the 
greatest misery the law can inflict ? 

It is frequently alleged against women, that they are 
lamentably bitter against each other ; and, with exam- 
ples like Mrs. Davies, who can reasonably deny the 
charge? 

Mrs. Davies did not love her husband, from whom 
she was soon divorced ; and her letters were full of 



CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUED. 167 

love — a sort of love, at least — for the courteous 
young Swede. They were illustrated with drawings 
not without artistic merit, but not more modest than 
her words. 

I was at first inclined to put all these letters and 
drawings in the fire ; they were really not fit for any 
thing else : and, had it been me only that this woman 
was attacking, I think I should have followed my first 
impulse. But through me she was injuring Spiritu- 
alism, the cause I love more than life ; and my sense 
of justice to others, which was very strong, induced 
me to let the Court know the character of their only 
witness. 

The cross-examination of Mrs. Hart-Davies revealed 
enough of her life and character to show her an utterly 
untrustworthy person, and to suggest explanations for 
her extraordinary conduct towards me. Being pressed 
to answer, she admitted that her first husband. Francis 
Rickard, was still living, and that "he and her fami- 
ly " procured the divorce. That the ground for divorce 
was adultery on her part there could be no manner of 
doubt ; for after many evasions she said, in answer to 
the repeated question, C, I refuse to answer it." The 
magistrate protected her. and she avoided an open 
confession. Mr. Lewis then showed her a letter (one 
of the series which so entirely compromised her), and, 
having secured the admission that she wrote it, was 



168 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

proceeding to question her upon the terms of affec- 
tion employed, when the prosecutor objected that the 
question and the proposed line of defence were inad- 
missible. Mr. Lewis urged that the antecedents of the 
prosecutrix were of vital importance to the defence. 
He assured the magistrate that it could be shown 
that Mrs. Hart-Davies was wholly out of -the pale 
of good society, alone, and without a friend in the 
world ; that she had obtained an introduction to the 
Fletchers by stratagem ; that the Fletchers were visited 
by people of the highest position, and that the prose- 
cutrix desired above all things to insinuate herself into 
such society ; that the deed of gift was prepared with- 
out the knowledge of the defendant, and the accept- 
ance of the property was forced upon her and her 
husband ; and that it was only ultimately, upon the 
express understanding and bargain that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies should be received into the house of the 
Fletchers free of expense, that the property was handed 
over. He believed the questions which he proposed 
to put were relevant and admissible, but confessed that 
they were at the same time within the discretion of 
the magistrate. Mr. Flowers decided against the ques- 
tions, and would not allow the letters in evidence. 

Mr. Lewis thereupon, being unable to present the 
facts under the ruling of the magistrate, said that 
there would be nothing to be gained by the cross-ex- 



CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUED. 169 

animation of other witnesses, nor by calMng any for 
the defence. 

I was then formally committed for trial at the next 
sessions of the Central Criminal Court, and was al- 
lowed out on the same bail as before for my appear- 
ance. 

The cross-examination, and the arguments and pro- 
ceedings following, will be found in the Appendix. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



INFLUENCE OF THE PRESS. 



It is a rule of the English press, generally and 
properly observed, to make no comments on a case 
while it is sub judice. Certainly it would be wrong to 
influence judge or jury. But a whole community is 
often intensely excited and deeply prejudiced by the 
first, often erroneous and generally exaggerated, ac- 
count of a crime supposed to have been committed. 
All the mischief may be done before a suspected crim- 
inal is arrested. The report of a coroner's inquest has 
in man}? instances settled the fate of a supposed mur- 
derer. A sensational police-report, or mere descrip- 
tion of a crime, has prevented the possibility of an 
impartial trial. 

In my own case the wild statements of Mr. Abra- 
hams (even those afterwards withdrawn) , read in mil- 
lions of newspapers, were generally believed. There 
was no doubt that I professed to be a Spiritualist and 
a medium. That alone was sufficient with a large 
majority to convict me of being an impostor. If I 
170 



INFLUENCE OF THE PEESS. 171 

would deceive people by pretending to get messages 
from their departed friends, why not get money by 
other false pretences? If I were in the practice of 
getting guineas by such frauds, why not thousands 
of pounds if I found the opportunity ? And, if I were 
so base as to take such advantage of ignorance and 
credulity, was it likely that I would stop at murder 
if it became necessary? Mr. Abrahams knew very 
well what he was about. But perhaps this is a good 
place to say that I at no time gave professional seances 
in London. . 

There were at this time three Spiritualist papers 
in London. The oldest of these, the u Medium and 
Daybreak," edited by Mr. James Burns, was consist- 
ently silent. So far as it had taken sides, it was the 
side of Dr. Mack (McGeary) . 

The "Spiritualist," Mr. Harrison's paper, since 
defunct, took up the cause of Mrs. Hart-Davies with 
peculiar malignity. Events have since revealed the 
editor's professed affection for Mrs. Davies ; and now 
my intelligent readers will readily perceive the cause 
of this partisanship. 

The new paper, "Light," was held in a neutral 
position by a divided opinion or feeling among its 
shareholders. Some were warmly for us, and some 
bitterly against. 1 have no better friends than some 
of its contributors, and no more bitter or mischievous 



172 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

enemies than others. Thus there was little of aid or 
comfort to be expected from Spiritualist papers in 
England. In America I was persistently and consist- 
ently denounced by the " Chicago Spiritualist Jour- 
nal," which is noted for its denunciations of suspected 
mediums, while I have had the generous support of, 
I believe, every other, especially the "Banner of 
Light" (Boston), " Mind and Matter" (Philadel- 
phia) , " Miller's Psychometric Journal " (New York) . 

The first notice of my prosecution in England 
which was sent to America, so far as I know, was in 
a letter from Dr. Nichols to the " Banner of Light," 
which will be found in the Appendix. It is printed to 
show how my case seemed to a personal friend, and a 
Spiritualist who had for twenty-five years given the 
phenomena of Spiritualism a careful investigation. 

The letter begins by referring to the proceedings 
against Home and Slade, and relates the history of 
Mrs. Hart-Davies's acquaintance with Mr. Fletcher and 
myself, and of the unusual intimacy that followed. 
Dr. Nichols expressly acquits me of blame, but thinks 
I was not prudent or worldly-wise, because I should 
have foreseen what might happen on the part of such 
an unstable friend. He praises my intrepidity in going 
to meet my accusers, and gives an account of my ex- 
amination, with which the reader is already acquainted. 
He hopes there will be a full and fair trial, and 



INFLUENCE .OF THE PRESS. 173 

declares that the facts of Spiritualism can be estab- 
lished by hundreds of witnesses of the highest credi- 
bility. 

My friend has rightly understood ray motives in 
coming to England to meet my trial, and endure m} r 
punishment. I did what I felt impelled to do. I did 
what my spirit- friends wished me to do. Spirits are 
not infallible. Some spirits are neither wise nor good. 
But those who are good and wise see much farther 
into the future than we can see, and I believe it is 
safest and best to follow their guidance. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

FQRTY YARDS OF INDICTMENT. 

The indictment drawn by the well-paid solicitors of 
the treasury was an enormous document. As a rule, 
government officials are not troubled with ideas of 
economy. The wealth of a great empire was at their 
disposal ; and they managed to cover sixty sheets of 
parchment, making a roll one hundred and twenty feet 
long, filled with my offences against u y Our Sovereign 
Lady the Queen, her Crown and Dignity." 

When this great and costly parchment — nothing so 
cheap as paper would answer — was unrolled in court, 
and ran all about, like an immense boa-constrictor, 
among the barristers, it made a great impression on 
the jury, as well as upon- the spectators. Well it 
might, for they all had to pay their share of its cost. 

In the first count, it is charged that the three defend- 
ants conspired to get possession of the jewelry of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, by means of the false pretence that her 
deceased mother had made communications through 
Mr. Fletcher, in which she, the daughter, was advised 
174 



FOETY YAKDS OF INDICTMENT. 175 

and requested to bestow the articles upon Mrs. 
Fletcher. A very long list of articles is subjoined. 

In the second count the charge is conspiracy to cheat 
and defraud Mrs. Hart-Davies of certain laces and 
articles of clothing by means of the same false pretence 
as alleged in the first count (with some additions con- 
cerning " magnetic influences "). 

The third count is a variation upon the same theme, 
alleging similar pretences to obtain from Mrs. Hart- 
Davies the deed of gift. In each of the counts in 
which the false pretences are charged, the negation is 
in similar words ; viz., " Whereas, in truth and in fact, 
the said " defendants " had not then the power to com- 
municate with or to receive communications from the 
said spirit of the said A. Heurtley, then deceased; and 
ivhereas the said" defendants "had not lately before 
then had any communications with, or received any 
messages from, the said A. Heurtley, then dead; and 
whereas the said A. Heurtley, then dead, had not lately 
before then, and after her said death, through the 
medium of the said S. W. Fletcher, sent a message to 
the said" Mrs. Hart-Davies, "directing her to share 
her property ," etc. 

The fourth count charges the defendants generally 
with conspiracy, by false pretences and by " artful and 
subtle stratagems and devices," to obtain possession 
of the property of Mrs. Hart-Davies, and to cheat and 
defraud her of the same. 



176 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

The fifth count is almost a repetition of the fourth. 

The sixth count charges the defendants with con- 
spiring to steaUthe same property. 

The seventh count alleges a conspiracy in regard to 
the deed of gift, and varies but little from the third 
count, omitting only the alleged message from Mrs. A. 
Heurtley. 

The eighth count alleges a conspiracy to induce Mrs. 
Hart-Davies to execute a will in favor of defendants 
(the Fletchers) with intent to defraud the legal heirs 
of their just expectations. 

The ninth count I copy in full : — 

"And the jurors aforesaid, upon their oath aforesaid, do 
further present that the said Susan Willis Fletcher, John Wil- 
liam Fletcher, and Francis Morton, on the day first aforesaid, 
and on divers .other days thereafter, in the county aforesaid, 
and within the jurisdiction of the said court, unlawfully did 
pretend (to wit, to the said Juliet Anne Theodora Heurtley 
Hart-Davies) to exercise and use divers kinds of witchcraft, 
sorcery, enchantment, and conjuration, against the form of the 
statute in such case made and provided, against the peace of 
our said lady the Queen, her Crown and Dignity." 

Some careless readers of this count may have sup- 
posed that the ancient laws against witchcraft and 
sorcery had been revived for my benefit ; but the 
offence charged is pretending to the possession of powers 
which every spiritual medium is known to possess. 

The reader will see that the real charge against me 



FORTY YARDS OF INDICTMENT. 177 

was that I profess'ed to be a Spiritualist, and that I 
falsely pretended to have received, or to have been the 
medium of, communications and messages from a mother 
in the spirit- world to her child. 

It is evident that my only defence was to prove to 
the jury that such messages and communications from 
the so-called dead to the living are a reality. I could 
have called a hundred witnesses to prove this fact, — 
noblemen, noble ladies, men of science, intelligent 
and in every way unimpeachable witnesses, whose tes- 
timony would have been received in any court of jus- 
tice in the world. From all of these witnesses I was 
not allowed to call one. I was condemned without 
a hearing. No defence was made; no witness ivas 
heard. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



THE OLD BAILEY. 



The sessions of the Central Criminal Court opened 
on the 1st of April with the usual address to the grand 
jury. The indictments were prepared and the wit- 
nesses ready. So short work was made of this grand 
preliminary investigation, that my trial was set down 
for the 5th of April. The grand jury went through 
the form of finding, perhaps, fifty indictments. 

A day or two before my trial was to begin, I was 
taken with a strong desire to see the place where I 
was to be tried, and something of the procedure in 
criminal cases : so I asked Dr. Nichols to take me to 
the court. The Old Bailey runs north from Ludgate 
Hill to Newgate, under the morning shadow of St. 
Paul's. The courts, a cluster of them, are close beside 
the prison where so many men and women have been 
hanged and scourged and burned in the bad old times. 

On applying to an officer, we were politely shown 
to seats in one of the courts where a trial was going 
on. On one side, on an elevated platform, under the 
178 



THE OLD BAILEY. 179 

royal emblems of the lion and unicorn, sat a judge in 
wig and robes, supported by two city aldermen without 
wigs, but wearing their robes of office. Opposite them 
was the prisoner's clock ; and across the court from 
where we sat were twelve city jurymen packed in a 
box, which just held them in two rows. In the space 
below us were the barristers in wigs and gowns of stuff 
or silk, the latter worn by the higher grade of queen's 
counsel, from whom are selected attorneys and soli- 
citors-general, judges, and, highest of all, lord-chancel- 
lors, whose office it is to keep the great seal and the 
monarch's conscience, and preside over the delibera- 
tions of the House of Lords, with a salary of ten 
thousand pounds a year, and then, after perhaps six 
mouths of service, a pension of five thousand a year 
for life. 

The case on trial was that of a young Jew peddler 
accused of "ringing the changes." Several witnesses 
swore that he went into a public-house, called for a 
glass of beer, laid down a sovereign to pay for it, and 
then, by some sleight of hand, disputed the change, 
and got sixpence more than was his due. It seemed a 
clear case of getting money by false pretences. The 
pleadings were brief, and the only witnesses called 
were two as to character. Two Jewish tradesmen, in 
neat black coats and well-brushed silk hats, entered 
the witness-box. The clerk handed them a copy of 



180 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

the Old Testament, and they solemnly put on their 
hats, and were sworn. This bit of ritualism, or relic 
of old Hebrew ceremony, made an evident impres- 
sion on the jury ; and when these two sleek, com- 
fortable-looking men swore that they had known the 
prisoner since he was a little boy, and that he had 
always borne a good character, the jury acquitted him 
at once, and he went out of court without a stain en 
his character. 

The next case was that of a poor, dark, forlorn- 
looking little woman, indicted also for getting property 
under false pretences. There never was a clearer case. 
It was proved that she had been about buying sewing- 
machines and many other articles, under the pretence 
of acting for a house of business, with false cards, 
bill-heads, etc. The young barrister, who did his best 
to defend her, had really but one plea. It was that 
she had at some time been with a man who might be 
supposed to be her husband. The judge may have 
occupied ten minutes in his charge, and the jury put 
their heads together. Then came a curious contest. 
We could not hear a word they said, but they were 
arguing in groups. At last only one tall, good-looking 
juror held out against the eleven. There he stood with 
his back to the wall, all the rest assailing him. 

"I think perhaps you had better retire," said the 
judge. 



THE OLD BAILEY. 181 

"We are eleven to one," said the foreman. "I 
think we shall soon bring him over." 

Of course we thought the tall juryman was for 
acquittal ; and, for the forlorn little woman's sake, we 
hoped he would persevere. He did a little longer, 
and then suddenly collapsed. The contest was over ; 
and we waited for the " Guilty," that would send her 
for months or years to prison. 

The verdict was " Not guilty." Our philanthropist 
had stood out for a conviction. No one doubted the 
woman's guilt ; but she was a woman, and the man 
she had been with might have been her husband. 

When she heard the verdict she did not faint, she 
was not overcome with emotion : she simply turned 
round, and " scuttled " out of the dock without a word 
or gesture of thanks for her great deliverance. 

The young Jew peddler, spite of his "subtle de- 
vices," was cleared because two men in shining hats 
swore to his good character. The poor little woman, 
though admitted by her counsel to be guilty of a whole 
series of impudent robberies, was cleared because her 
male confederate might or should have been her hus- 
band. 

There really seemed some hope in such precedent . 
But I considered that neither of these cases had made 
the least sensation in the newspapers, and that neither 
of these prisoners was known to be a Spiritualist. 



182 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Their trials may have lasted an hour each. The judge's 
charges may have occupied ten minutes. The reports 
of the two cases, if reported at all, may have occu- 
pied a dozen lines. Had the verdicts gone against 
them, there would have been no leading articles next 
day, a column long, triumphing over their conviction. 

The patient reader will see that my trial, so close at 
hand, was a different affair altogether. I had taken 
charge of property forced upon me ; I had done my 
best to save and protect a very troublesome woman ; 
I had returned her her property as soon as it was 
demanded. There was no doubt of my marriage, and 
I had plenty of friends to testify to my good charac- 
ter. But I was a Spiritualist, — confessedly and pro- 
fessedly a medium : so my indictment covered forty 
feet of parchment, my trial lasted many daj T s. The 
judge took five hours to sum up the case, and charge 
the jury against me. The jury required three hours 
and a half to make up their minds. I was sentenced 
to twelve months' imprisonment, with a torrent of in- 
vective from Sir Henry Hawkins, in addition, such as 
is seldom heard, I trust, in any court of justice; and 
there were leading articles, triumphing in my convic- 
tion and punishment, in a hundred newspapers. 

Why this difference between me and the other poor 
little woman, who went about deliberately defrauding 
small tradesmen? Guilty as she was admitted to be 



THE OLD BAILEY. 183 

by her own counsel, only one juryman tried to convict 
her. The only plea for her was that of a rather 
violent presumption of marital coercion. 

The real difference was, that I was a Spiritualist ; 
while she got clear because she was only a common 
swindler, and because Englishmen — who formerly 
burned women alive here in this very street by New- 
gate for having counterfeit money, or whipped them 
horribly at the cart's-tail — are now tender and merciful 
to women, whether they be thieves or murderers, or 
whatever they may be, provided that they are not 
Spiritualists. 

But I am getting a little, only a very little, before 
my story. I mean to give the facts of my case, and 
I do not mean to talk very much about them. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 



During the time that elapsed between my commit- 
ment at Bow Street and my trial at the Old Bailey, 
preparation was made for my defence. Had it been a 
civil suit, I could have been put into the witness-box, 
and it would have been the oath of one woman against 
the oath of another. The jury would have heard 
the* story of each, and been able to judge which was the 
true statement of the case. As I was accused of a 
crime, no such justice could be allowed to me. A few 
years ago, in this free England, no one charged with 
a felony was permitted to have counsel to assist him 
in his defence. No trial, even for high-treason, ever 
outlasted one day ; and the felon convicted on Satur- 
day night, if only of a petty theft or a constructive 
murder, was dragged on a hurdle to Tyburn, and 
hanged on Monday morning. 

Things are not now so savagely bad, but in some 
ways they are equally unjust. On this trial, where 
the whole evidence against me, by the admission of the 

184. 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 185 

judge, was the word of one woman, I insist that I, 
the woman accused of crime, ought in common justice 
to have been heard. Had it been murder, I should 
have been heard — after the verdict. Then the ques- 
tion would have been asked, — 

4 c Prisoner at the bar, have you any thing to say 
why sentence of death should not be pronounced upon 
you?" 

And then, with the gallows staring me in the face, 
if I had so told my story that judge and jury, and all 
who heard me, knew me to be innocent, all the same 
the judge would have put on the little black cap, over 
his great white wig, and sentenced me to death. 

Since my trial, the judges of England have in this 
matter reformed their mode of procedure. They had 
ruled that an accused person who had engaged counsel 
should not speak for himself. There was no law for 
it. It was only the convenience of the judges. It 
saved them a little trouble. But as several failures of 
justice had come of bad defences, and as some innocent 
men had been hanged, and others sent to penal servi- 
tude who were afterwards known to be innocent, the 
judges, a year after my conviction, mercifully decided 
that thenceforth every accused person might exercise 
the right to tell his own story, even if he had counsel, 
if dissatisfied with the manner in which his story had 
been told. Of course this was alwaj^s the right of a 



186 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

prisoner, only the judges had not recognized it, or had 
trampled it under their feet. 

In the preparation of my defence, Mr. Lewis had 
taken down the evidence of several persons who had 
received, through my husband or myself, messages 
from their departed friends, or satisfactory proofs of 
their existence, and their power to communicate with 
them under favoring conditions. He had also the testi- 
mony of many men and women of the highest character 
and intelligence as to the reality of such manifesta- 
tions. This testimony he considered, as I did, of the 
highest importance ; since the indictment, as I have 
shown, again and again asserted the absolute falsity 
and impossibility of such communications, and also 
that I knew them to be false. The fact of Spiritual- 
ism itself was- on trial ; and it was that stupendous fact, 
and not my own liberty, which I wished to defend. 
What to me was the risk of five years' penal servitude, 
if I could in open court, by the sworn evidence of 
unimpeachable witnesses, prove the consoling truth 
and the sublime reality of Spiritualism ? 

I knew that I could put in the witness-box peers of 
the realm, members of the Royal Society and other 
learned societies, distinguished clergymen, lawyers and 
physicians, scientific and literary men of the highest 
reputation, who would prove the fact, which the in- 
dictment denied, that a mother, " then being dead," 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 187 

could still speak to her child. I knew that three 
earls could testify to that, and some personages of 
higher titles, if I chose to call them. I knew that 
many men and women commanding a higher respect 
than any title can bestow could give such testimony, 
and that all the newspapers would be compelled to 
spread it before the world. 

My friends wondered how I could be so foolish as to 
cross the Atlantic to meet my trial. JVly answer was 
and is, "I did it for Spiritualism." If they ask, " "Why 
did not your spirits protect you? " all I can say is, that 
spirits out of the body, as in it, are not infallible, and 
they are not omnipotent. They do what they can, as 
we do. If good spirits could do all they wish to do, 
this world would be much better than it is. God him- 
self does not compel man to be just : he leaves us to 
"work out oar own salvation." But I believe my 
spirit-guides could have done me no grander service 
than to allow me to be imprisoned for the truth. 

No English solicitor, however learned in the law, 
however eloquent, can speak in any English court 
above the grade of a police-court, save in a whisper. 
My solicitor, Mr. E. D. Lewis, is learned in the law, 
and has written valuable treatises. He is a sympa- 
thetic and eloquent pleader, as I saw at Bow Street ; 
but he could not speak for me at the Old Bailey. It 
was necessary to engage a barrister, and highly impor- 



188 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

tant to have one of the highest position, and of course 
to pay his price. Queen's counsel are not now con- 
tent, as in Erskine's days, to have a brief marked with 
an honorarium of one guinea : they expect hundreds. 
They are no longer knights-templars with lance in rest, 
ever ready to defend the innocent without fee or 
reward. In our days all the learned professions seem 
demoralized. Clergymen buy good livings ; doctors 
refuse to see patients until they are sure of their fees ; 
and law r yers — well, they expect to be well paid, and 
are engaged on one side unless they can receive more 
on the other. 

Mr. Lewis engaged for me as leader Mr. Addison, 
Q. C, an able advocate at the English bar, and with 
him Mr. Beslej^, a barrister of large experience in 
criminal procedure. Against me were Mr. Montagu 
Williams, a favorite of the government, who is engaged 
on one side or the other in nearly every important crim- 
inal trial, Mr. Snaggi, and Mr. Cavendish-Bentinck, 
instructed by the treasury solicitor who appeared 
against me at Bow Street. How much, with this array 
of legal luminaries against me, I have added to the 
burdens of the British tax-payers, I have no means of 
knowing. But the government had determined to 
crush out the heresy of Spiritualism, and did not count 
the cost. I was at the moment their Arabi Pacha, 
and these were the great guns to blow down my 
fortress. 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 189 

Of course the money used was entirely wasted. 
That was not the fault of Mr. Lewis. But the simple 
fact is, that had I refused to expend one shilling, and 
had I gone into the prisoner's dock utterly undefended, 
or if I had made my own defence, I should not have 
been in any worse position, and I might have had the 
comforting advantage of telling my own story, and 
thus might have possibly secured my acquittal. 

On the other hand, the utter failure of my counsel 
to make a proper defence has compelled me to make 
one here and now, before a higher court and a larger 
public ; and I do it in the hope that a greater good 
may come of my conviction than could have come 
from such failure to convict as might have been caused 
by one firm, disagreeing juryman. I may not be able 
to see, but none the less do I believe, that it was all 
ordered by the highest wisdom, and that my triumph, 
or rather, much rather, the triumph of the cause I 
serve "through evil report and good report," was* to 
come out of much suffering and much reproach. 

The cause I serve is the hope of immortality — more 
than the hope, the certainty of the life beyond the 
grave. It was my sense of the value of this evidence 
that sustained me in the prisoner's dock for eight weary 
days, and for twelve months in a prisoner's cell, — not 
only calm, but happy to be a witness for the truth. 

It was on the morning of the 5th of April, 1881, 



190 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that I drove past the Newgate Prison into the court- 
yard where judges and prisoners alight, and was 
escorted to the prisoners' dock, where I sat with the 
governor of Newgate and two female warders. The 
largest court-room in the building was crowded, — 
the bench and seats with ladies and gentlemen, the 
galleries w T ith as many as could get into them. All 
rose as Mr. Justice Hawkins and two city aldermen 
came in and took their seats. 

I have described the indictment. When its forty 
yards were unrolled, and ran about the floor, it made a 
visible sensation. It was a monster ready to strangle 
me in its coils. When called upon to plead to this 
indictment, which charged me with the most base, de- 
testable, and horrible crimes, I rose and spoke the 
only words heard from me during my trial, — "Not 

GUILTY, MY LORD!" 

Mr. Montagu Williams, undoubtedly an able lawyer, 
with considerable facial expression and some dramatic 
ability, succeeds better as a prosecutor than a defender. 
In the cases of Lefroy and Lamson whom he defended, 
he melted the jurymen to tears ; but they convicted, 
nevertheless. 

Mr. Montagu Williams opened the case for the 
prosecution, saying that he had to lay before the jury 
" a story of fraud and chicanery seldom equalled, and 
never surpassed, in the history of the criminal courts." 1 

1 The full report will be found in the Appendix. 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 191 

He described the prosecutrix, Mrs. Hart-Da vies, 
enlarged upon her wealth and possessions, and touched 
lightly upon her personal history, dexterously avoiding 
the stains upon her character. Still, he had to adroit 
the fact of the divorce and the former intimacy with 
Lindmark. He sketched the beginning of her acquaint- 
ance with our family, and detailed the supposed arts 
by which he alleged Mr. Fletcher had acquired his 
influence over this confiding woman with a view of 
stripping her of her fortune. The means of influence 
being assumed to be false and fraudulent, the motive 
and the action were tainted with crime. He described 
the trip to America and the circumstances of the deed 
of gift. Then he read long spiritual communications 
taken from the note-book of Mrs. Hart-Davies. He 
again referred to Lindmark, claimiug that there was a 
close intimacy between him and myself, and gave the 
jury to understand, that on our voyage to the United 
States my numerous trunks contained the bulk of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies's personal effects. He alleged that a good 
portion of the property was recovered by legal process, 
and that more was found at our house in Gordon 
Street after her return to London. He thought the 
jury would have no difficulty in coming to the conclu- 
sion that the defendants — myself and husband, and 
Mr. Morton who drew up the deed of gift — were 
swindlers, confederated together for the purpose of 
obtaining the property. 



192 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

This was the opening of the case. I have already 
spoken of my relations to Capf. Linclmark. They 
were honorable to him and creditable to myself. I 
have nothing to regret in them, but the fact that I have 
been made by Mrs. Hart-Davies the means of giving 
a needless publicity to the scandal of their intimacy 
when they were unfortunately thrown together, so long 
ago, in South America. I very much regret that I 
must also, later on, give Capt. Lindmark's own sworn 
statement, which should properly have been given in the 
witness-box, in the course of my trial, and which would 
have been given had I managed my own defence. 

The reader Will see from the opening, as well as in 
the indictment, that the single point upon which the 
whole case turned was the reality of spiritual mani- 
festations. The deed of gift and the transfer of 
property were perfectly legal, unless it could be shown 
that they were induced by false and fraudulent pre- 
tences ; namely, the pretence of having received com- 
munications from departed spirits. 

A forged draft must be proved to be a forgery : its 
falsity cannot be assumed. The drawer or indorser 
must come into court, and deny his signature. In this 
case falsity was assumed when it should have been 
proved. The indictment charged that " dead men tell 
no tales," and that the mother of Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
being dead, could not advise her daughter. 



THE OPENING OF THE CASE. 193 

It was not proved that the spirit of Mrs. Heurtley 
did not exist, or, existing, could not communicate with 
her daughter, but, so far as the daughter's testimony 
went, quite the contrary. Where, then, is the proof 
of false pretences? 

On the other hand, Mr. Morton, who had come from 
America, .and was ready to* testify at my trial had he 
been allowed to do so, would have sworn in the wit- 
ness-box, as he has done in his affidavit, that Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, before making the deed and the will, 
solemnly declared that she had not been influenced, 
either by mortals or spirits. 

And there is no proof aside from her own testimony 
that she ever received the communications. Nor was 
there any evidence offered to establish the validity of 
the letters beyond Mrs. Davies's testimony. 

The testimony, cross-examination, and speeches, 
being mainly a repetition of the case at Bow Street, 
are in the Appendix. That the reader may have a 
knowledge of my defence, I give the testimony as to 
character, and the substance of my counsel's speech. 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 

The first witness called to support this opening 
statement was the friendly detective who arrested me 
at Greenock. He said, — 

"The prisoner laughed at the charge which mentioned a 
string of pearls, remarking, 'I am rather amused at those 
pearls. I was charged with stealing them in America, and 
now I am accused of obtaining them by false pretences.' She 
added, 'I suppose they have them now; as they have been 
to my house in Gordon Street, and taken away what they 
thought proper. I left them in London when I went away.' 
At Bow Street, after the first examination before the magis- 
trate, prisoner said to witness, ' If you go to the Pantechni- 
con, and search a small chest of drawers, you will most likely 
find the pearls; as I left them there when I went away.' He 
found the pearls in the place described." 

Mrs. Hart-Davies gave about the same testimony as 
at the police-court, relating the messages which she 
said she believed came from her mother, and describ- 
ing the movement of a small table across the room 
when it was not touched by any person present. 
194 



THE TESTIMONY AND CBOSS-EXAMINATIOK. 195 

The day was consumed in hearing a part of her 
story, and in reading letters supposed to confirm it. 
On the second day, April 6, she said, — 

" Before I left Farquhar Lodge I became acquainted with 
Col. Morton. He was introduced to me by the Fletchers. I 
believe, at their house in Gordon Street; and they told me 
subsequently that he was their lawyer.' ' 

The story, spun out by questions and answers, was, 
that at my suggestion she applied to Mr. Morton to 
draw up the deed of gift ; that, before signing it. she 
became very ill ; that Mr. Morton magnetized her, but 
she became fainter and fainter. 

Did he write out the document before the pawing, or after ? 
Witness. — He wrote it out before, and then came the mes- 
merizing. 

Did you understand him when he read the document ? 
Witness. — No. His voice sounded to me like a distant whis- 
per. I could hardly understand the document, because I was 
so faint. He said he had complied with my instructions in 
regard to protection. When I had signed the document, I 
rested a little while, and then, later on, went home, feeling 
very bad. A few days after, I had another interview with 
Morton ; but before that I had seen Mrs. Fletcher, and she had 
delivered to me another message from my mother, urging me 
to write a letter to her making things mere binding. "When 
I saw Morton I told him that Mrs. Fletcher wanted a letter 
which would make the protection more binding to her, so that 
she could keep it privately in case any thing should occur to 
me. 



196 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Was there any mesmerism on this occasion ? Witness. — 
No. He made out a draught-letter, and proposed that I should 
put a head and tail to it in my own style, and copy it on my 
own crested paper. I took the draught home, and copied it, 
and sent the copy to Mrs. Fletcher; and I subsequently took 
the" draught to Col. Morton, who said he wished to destroy it. 

This letter was then read, and stated that the prosecutrix 
handed the property over to the prisoner as a free gift. 

Examination continued. — Subsequently I made a will, about 
which I had several conversations with the Fletchers. Morton 
suggested that I should make the will. He said that I should 
take into consideration the delicate state of my health and the 
uncertainty of human life, and that I ought to make a will 
before my departure for France, suggesting that I should leave 
the money where it would be most wanted and useful. 

Yes: what next? Witness. — I suggested that I should 
like to leave the bulk of it to the propagation of the cause of 
Spiritualism in its higher phases, teaching the truths of the 
life to come and immortality. 

What did Morton say ? Witness. — He said, legally speak- 
ing, that could not be done. It must be done through indi- 
viduals; as the outside world might say I was mad [laughter], 
they having no sympathy with the cause. He suggested that 
it would be better to leave the money to my adopted brother 
and sister (the Fletchers). 

Before you executed this will, did you have any conversa- 
tion with the prisoner about the will ? Witness. — About the 
will, but not about its execution. On several occasions we had 
conversations about the matter. On one occasion, when I was 
alone with the prisoner, I spoke to her, as my mother, about 
the proposition which Morton had made to me. She then 
went into a trance. 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 197 

How did she go into the trance ? Witness. — Oh ! she 
went into it very quietly, — put her hands round me, and shut 
her eyes. [Laughter. ] 

Mr. Addison. — I should like to know what this trance 
was like. The others we have heard of were attended with 
shivering. [Laughter.] 

The Judge. — They are not always alike, Mr. Addison. 
[Laughter. ] 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — That was a male trance : 
this is a female trance. [Loud laughter.] 

Examination continued. — In the trance the prisoner com- 
menced speaking about the will. She told me to go to Col. 
Morton, as he would find a good solicitor for me. Subse- 
quently I saw Col. Morton, and I asked him if he knew a good 
solicitor to make this will valid and draw it out for me. At 
first he mentioned a firm of solicitors, — Murray & Miller. 
I went to their office with him; and, having made some pre- 
liminary remarks, he left some papers of mine there. A short 
time after, I received a letter from the prisoner purporting to 
come from my mother. The communication said, the sooner 
I took the papers away from Miller, the better. I informed 
Col. Morton of the contents of the letter; and, having got the 
papers from Miller, I met Morton, and we then went to the 
firm of Field, Roscoe, & Francis, solicitors. We there saw Mr. 
Francis, and I was introduced as a friend of Fletcher. It was 
proposed that Mr. Francis should manage the matter for me. 
A will had been prepared by Mr. Morton, and was handed by 
him to Mr. Francis, who thought it necessary that a codicil 
should be added. A codicil was subsequently sent to me, and 
I signed it. I also signed the will drawn up by Morton. 

The Judge. — I do not observe any thing in the will or 
in the codicil about Spiritualism in its higher phases. Was 



198 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

any thing said about that to Mr. Francis ? Witness. — No, 
my lord. 

Mr. Montagu Williams. —I think it fair to Mr. Francis 
that I should call hirn. 

Mr. Addison. — I should be glad if Mr. Francis could be 
called. 

The Judge. — Nothing has been said against Mr. Francis 
in any way. 

Mr. Montagu Williams.— No, my lord. Only it is not 
agreeable to be mixed up in such a matter as this. 

The Judge. — I only wanted to know whether any thing 
was said in the will about Spiritualism. Witness. — No, my 
lord. Col. Morton said it was not necessary. 

The will was read by Mr. Read (deputy-clerk). 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — What induced you to make 
this will ? 

Mr. Addison. — You have got that. She said she made 
the will with the view of propagating the cause of Spiritualism. 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — I will put the question in this 
form (to witness) : Did you believe' that the directions about 
the will really came from your mother? Witness. — Cer- 
tainly I did, or else I never should have thought of making it. 
I believed the prisoner, and it was in consequence of what she 
said that I made the will. 

The reason why Mr. Morton was included in the 
indictment, and so prevented testifying, is obvious ; 
because he would have contradicted nearly every word 
of this statement, as he has done in his affidavit, which 
I will give among the suppressed evidence. He was 
at hand for the purpose of surrendering himself for 



THE TESTIMONY AND CEOSS-EXAMINATION. 199 

trial to meet the charges, and ready at any risk to 
testify, but was assured that any effort to do so would 
be perfectly useless to me, as it would have placed 
him, silenced and helpless, in the prisoner's dock by 
my side, and in all probability have consigned him to 
penal servitude. 

Among the letters read — all on one side, for the 
others had disappeared since the search was made in 
Gordon Street — was one in which Mr. Fletcher had 
written, — 

I do not like your dream, because it showed to me how 
weak you were. 

Mr. Williams (to witness). — What were the dreams ? : w 

Witness. — Oh! something pretty. It seemed as if I were 
walking in a beautiful garden, with the- perfume of orange- 
blossoms in the air. I thought I was walking with Fletcher. 

The Judge. — Where were the gardens? — I don't know. 
I say I simply dreamed it. 

The Judge. — I suppose it could have been at Ternon 
Place or Gordon Square. [Laughter. 1 

Mb. Williams (to witness). —You had written to Fletcher 
to tell him what the dream was? — Yes. I told him that I 
had been in his company and the company of sundry other 
friends. 

Can you tell us more definitely about this dream ? — I 
have told you. I dreamed that I was walking in a garden per- 
fumed with orange-blossoms, jessamine, and other flowers. 

The Judge. — Stop a minute. I will just put in the jes- 
samine. We hadn't that before. [Laughter.] 

Witness (continuing). —I seemed to be walking and con- 



200 TWELVE MONTHS IN PBISON. 

versing with Fletcher, with the prisoner at the bar, and with 
many others. 

The Judge. — What were you conversing with Fletcher 
about ? — I was conversing with him about spiritualistic truths, 
about immortality, and about other subjects. It seemed a 
beautiful dream to me. 

Who were the others there? — It is impossible for me to 
remember now. 

Was Morton or the handsome captain on the scene ? 
[Laughter.] — I did not trouble my head about either of 
them. 

They did not appear in the dream ? — Not at all. 

Near the close of the second day, the judge, being 
tired of the monotony, interposed, wishing to know if 
it were necessary to read any more letters. They all 
contained the same sort of — well, he was going to say 
rubbish, but he would call it language. 

Mr. Addison. — Yes, my lord, the language of affection. 
I think it is important to the defence that the letters should be 
read, as showing how far they corroborate the charge of false 
pretences.' 

Mr. Williams. — And the letters might be important in 
reference to the conspiracy counts. 

Mr. Addison. — There was a belief in Spiritualism among 
some of these people, who mixed up the subject with a great 
deal of affection; and what I want to show is, how far the 
false pretence alleged is unsupported by these letters. Th#* 
letters are important to me as exhibiting the real motives of 
the prosecutrix in placing her property in the custody of the 
Fletchers. They show the march of events up to the point of 



THE TESTIMONY AND CBOSS-EXAMINATION. 201 

" work and love and wisdom," when love and wisdom got jeal- 
ous, and fell out. 

Mes. Haet-Davies. — That is untrue. 

On the following day Mrs. Hart-Davies's examina- 
tion was continued, when Mr. Williams proceeded to 
read additional letters of the same character as those 
already read. 

Mr. Addison called attention to the fact that a portion of 
one of those letters had been torn away. 

Witness, in answer to Mr. Williams, said, That was torn 
off because Mr. Fletcher considered that I thought otherwise 
of him than as a brother. My indignation was so intense, that 
I wrote to him to that effect; and I had a severe illness in con- 
sequence. Mrs. Fletcher ordered me to destroy all correspond- 
ence on that subject. There is not the slightest foundation 
for saying that there has ever been any improper conduct be- 
tween myself and Mr. Fletcher. I wrote a number of letters 
to the Fletchers. I have never received any of them back, nor 
have I seen them since I sent them. When I returned from 
Tours, on the 1st of May, Mrs. Fletcher and I went to Gordon 
Street, where I found a room prepared for me. I remained in 
the house for twelve weeks. 

Did you pay for your board ? — I did not. I gave them my 
whole income, which was three hundred pounds a year. Capt. 
Lindmark frequently visited at the house while I was there. 
In early days the prisoner told me that my mother had desired 
that we should form a "trinity," — love, wisdom, and work. 
Fletcher was to represent wisdom ; the defendant, work; and 
I, the affection of the family to bind them all together. 

Was the " trinity " ever formed ? — I do not know. It was 
all a mystery to me. 



202 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — It is a mystery to me too. 
[Laughter.] 

The story of the trip to America, the meeting with 
Dr. Mack and the Homes, the search-warrants and 
arrests all round, and the escape of Dr. Mack and 
Mrs. Hart-Davies to England, were then tediously 
gone through with. 

The cross-examination of the witness by Mr. Addi- 
son was more lively and interesting, and took up 
points of the evidence which in the direct examina- 
tion I have omitted, because it did not seem desirable 
to tire the reader. 

Mr. Addison, Q.C., is, as I have said, a man of 
eminence in the profession ; but his idea of a proper 
method of defence was not mine nor my solicitor's. I 
wished to have the case seriously treated, and to call 
witnesses who would testify to the reality of spiritual 
manifestations, which the whole effort of the prosecu- 
tion was to deny. The result of the trial did not 
trouble me. Whether the jury believed the evidence, 
or not, I wanted it put on record, and published to the 
world. 

Mr. Addison thought it was enough to show the 
character of the only important witness, and so relied 
upon his cross-examination. Also he knew, appar- 
ently, that Mr. Justice Hawkins would rule out all the 
evidence I wished to offer. So he proceeded with his 



THE TESTIMONY AND CKOSS-EXAMINATIOX. 203 

cross-examination, which I give as I find it reported in 
the newspapers. 

I hope my readers will have patience to read this 
summary of Mrs. Hart-Davies's evidence. It will 
require but little imagination to reproduce the scene, 
and to appreciate the parts played by the different 
actors. The plausible, mendacious, and generally 
shameless part of the prosecutrix is sufficiently evi- 
dent. Mr. Addison is seen goading the wretched 
woman, to force her to display her qualities before 
the Court ; meanwhile he responds occasionally to the 
banter of the presiding judge as if they two had parts 
in a farce, or more as if they were the " end-men " in 
a minstrel show. This trifling, punning, and leering 
between comfortable, well-fed officials, while the lib- 
erty and honor of an unoffending woman were at 
stake, were unspeakably heartless and repulsive. We 
don't appreciate jokes and chaff from hangmen and 
undertakers. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies was then cross-examined by Mr. Addison. 
She said, I wrote out the inventory of the property delivered 
to the prisoners in America. I had made out an inventory 
before, but the inventory I made in America was done from 
memory. The box of lace is not mentioned in the inventory, 
because I directed my attention chiefly to the jewelry; but the 
box of lace is mentioned in other inventories. My mother 
died in the year 1876. 

Mr. Addisox. — Does your trustee know any thing about 
the lace ? — I don't know. 



204 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Addison. — Is your husband in court ? — I don't know. 
If you want to know the value of the lace, you had better go 
and ask my mother's spirit. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Addison. — Oh, no! I cannot do that. [Laughter.] 

Cross-examination. — I swear that I do not know whether 
my mother left a will, or not. I know that she wished me to 
have all her jewelry and other property; and I know that there 
ought to be a will, but that has to be investigated. I am sup- 
posed to be her administrator. 

Mr. Addtson. — You went to swear to the value of her 
property ? — Well, yes. 

And you swore that her effects were worth under a hundred 
pounds ? — I did, on the advice of a lawyer. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — Who was the lawyer? — Am I 
compelled to disclose my private affairs ? 

Mr. Addison said he did not care to have the name of the 
lawyer; and the learned judge said, as this was the case, he 
would not insist upon an answer being given. 

Cr oss-examination continued. — Before my mother died, she 
had all the property locked up in boxes, and labelled with my 
name. I was in Paris when my mother died, and the property 
was handed over to me. I did not see my mother for two or 
three years before she died. 

Mr. Addison. —Has anybody ever seen this mysterious box 
of lace? — I won't tell you. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — But you must tell us. 

Witness. — I believe Madame Michaud saw it. 

Where does she live? — I don't know. In London some- 
where. I don't know her address. 

Cross-examination continued. — I believe Mrs. Weldon also 
saw the lace, and I think Madame Michaud saw it at Gordon 
Street. Before I came into connection with Mr. Fletcher, I had 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 205 

never seen my deceased mother except in visions or dreams, 
whichever you like to call them. Whenever I saw her, it ap- 
peared to me like a dream; but I have seen her when I was 
wide awake. 

Mr. Addison. — In white robes ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — In something beautiful and bright which I can- 
not explain. In other respects she looked to me as she did 
when she was alive. It is possible that I may have only seen 
my mother, as other people do, in dreams. I was an " uncon- 
scious " Spiritualist before I saw Dr. Fletcher; and I believe 
in immortality, and in the sympathy of those who have gone 
before us. In the course of the conversations I had with Mr. 
Fletcher, I said that either in dreams or in a vision I had seen 
the spirit of my departed mother, and that it seemed to me that 
she had conversed with me in a vision. In my dreams it ap- 
peared to me that my mother told me that there was no such 
thing as death, but it was only a change ; and she appeared to 
me to say those words. I understood that she meant merely a 
spiritualist change, and that this was how she was permitted 
to come and speak to me. These visions occurred in 1876. 
My husband first sent for Dr. Fletcher. By my husband I 
mean Mr. Hart-Davies. I was perfectly aware that Dr. Fletcher 
was what is called a "magnetic " doctor. I failed to feel any 
magnetic influence when I first saw him: and he told me that 
this was not his forte, and that his vocation was that of a 
trance medium ; and he went off into a trance. 

Mr. Addison. — - Straight away ? [Laughter. ] He took hold 
of your hand, shivered, and went to sleep? [Laughter.] 

Cross-examined. — He told me not to be alarmed if he went 
into a trance ; and shortly afterwards he shut his eyes, shivered, 
and then went off. My hand was in his all the time ; and he 
told me not to take my hand away, as it might bring on serious 



206 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

consequences, and affect his system seriously. [A roar of 
laughter.] He shivered so much, that I had to hold on tightly 
to keep hold of his hand. 

Mk, Addison. —Then, you " shivered " together ? [Laugh- 
ter.] 

Witness. — It was while he was shivering he began to talk 
about my mother. He began to get quiet while he was deliv- 
ering the message from my mother. I was filled with awe 
while he was delivering the message. He spoke with his eyes 
shut; and I remembered all he said, and wrote it down imme- 
diately afterwards. All the time he was speaking, he said that 
he was under control, and that he was delivering a message to 
me from my mother. He knew that I had suffered persecution 
from a variety of causes. My first marriage was an unsuitable 
match, and I was also not happy in my second marriage. My 
sufferings were alluded to in the first message the prisoner's 
husband delivered to me from my mother. I was not in the 
habit of complaining of the persecutions that I had expe- 
rienced. I have been present at spiritual manifestations at 
which the Fletchers were not present, and it seemed to me 
that the table has moved round when I and the others placed 
our hands on it. Certain questions were asked of the spirits, 
and vigorous raps were given in reply. [Laughter.] I would 
not swear that all this actually occurred, but it seemed to me 
as though it did. 

The Court then adjourned for luncheon, and after a brief 
interval the proceedings were resumed. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies was then further cross-examined. She 
said, I was never myself a "medium," but I have very often 
seen visions of my mother ; and I communicated to the prisoner 
that I had had a most beautiful vision of my mother. This 
referred to my dream when I was in the garden with Mr. 
Fletcher. 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 207 

Mr. Addison. — Are you quite sure that your mother was 
with you on this occasion ? 

Witness. — Oh, yes ! 

Mr. Addison. — Was "J.," whom you speak of in your 
diary, your husband ? Was it " Jemmy" ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — I wish you would speak of my husband re- 
spectfully. [Laughter.] 

Cross-examination continued. — I cannot tell who were 
mediums, and who were not. Perhaps the whole of us are 
mediums : I cannot tell. The matters I entered in my diary 
were all intended to be a truthful description of what oc- 
curred, so far as I could understand it. I put down what I 
seemed to see and hear. I could not tell whether it was true, 
or not. 

Mr. Addison. — You understand the meaning of a medium? 

Witness. — There are many kinds of mediums, — a medium 
of getting a dinner and other things. 

Mr. Addison. — And I suppose there is a medium of love. 
Where was poor Mr. Hart-Davies during all the time you were 
having the private interviews with Mr. Fletcher ? 

Witness. — Sir! 

Mr. Addison. — Oh! don't be emphatic. I only want to 
know where your husband was all the time these things hap- 
pened. 

Witness. — He was in the house, and he objected to the 
seance with Mr. Fletcher. 

Mr. Addison. — Did Mr. Fletcher say that it was better for 
your husband not to be present ? — Yes. He said it was better 
no one else should be present. He knew all that was taking 
place. 

Mr. Addison. — Was he aware of the taking by the hand, 
and the shivering, and all that ? [Laughter.] 



208 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Witness. —Yes. 

Mr. Addison. — Perhaps lie was glad to get his mother-in- 
law back again ? 

Witness. — I don't know. My husband had been a soldier 
and a sailor. When the first interview took place, he sat in an 
arm-chair, and watched us. 

Mr. Addison. — He did not shiver, did he ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — No. 

Mr. Addison. — Did he say any thing ? — No. 

Mr. Addison. — Not even " Shiver my timbers " ? [A roar 
of laughter.] 

Cross-examination continued. — I parted with Mr. Hart- 
Davies partly for private and partly for business reasons, but 
the Fletchers hastened the separation. We considered it advis- 
able to live apart, and that each of us should find our way to 
heaven in the best way we could. My husband did not express 
any astonishment when he heard the first message came from 
my mother in heaven. Dr. McGeary is now my spiritual 
adviser and brother. 

The witness, in answer to another question put by the 
learned counsel, said it was a lie. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins severely reproved the witness for this, 
and said she desired to be treated with respect, and he must 
insist that she should treat other persons with respect. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies burst into tears, and some minutes elapsed 
before the case proceeded. 

In further cross-examination she said, My husband was not 
present at the trances that afterwards took place, and Mr. 
Fletcher desired that he should not be present. I am quite 
sure that I never told Mrs. Fletcher that I had been a medium 
from my childhood, and that I had heard voices. I am sure 
that I never told Mrs. Fletcher that I was getting rapidly well 
under her husband's treatment. 



THE TESTIMONY AND CB OSS-EXAMINATION. 209 

Mr. Addison. — Did you ever tell her that you could not 
live without her husband ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — Never. 

Mr. Addison. — Could you have lived without him ? 
[Laughter. ] 

Witness. — Certainly. I loved the defendant and her hus- 
band as saints, and I looked upon them as saints. 

Mr. Addison. — Which saint did you love best ? 

Witness. — I loved one as well as the other. 

Cross-examination continued, — I have complained of my 
husband intending to poison me, but this was only in conse- 
quence of what other people told me. I never accused my 
husband of attempting to poison me. I did not ever say that 
he fyad deceived me as to his social position, and that he had 
represented himself as being related to a noble duke, when in 
reality he was only a common sailor. I never complained to 
the Fletchers that my husband had pawned some of the 
jewelry. 

Mr. Addison. — Did you never tell the Fletchers that you 
wished them to take care of your jewelry for fear your hus- 
band should get hold of it, and pawn it ? 

Witness. — I never said so, but I may have said that some 
of the jewels had been made away with in order to supply the 
necessities of my husband. I never complained to them that 
my husband had put arsenic in my wine. 

Mr. Addison. — Did you never say to them that you be- 
lieved in the affinity of spirits, and that you considered Mr. 
Fletcher the counterpart' of yourself? 

Witness. — No. I believed in the affinity of spirits on this 
earth, but I did not say any thing about Mr. Fletcher. I fol- 
io wed- them like a sheep. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Addison. — Was it not you who proposed to form a 



210 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

triangle, or trinity, and that it was to be composed of the 
Fletchers and yourself ? 

Witness. — No. It was they who suggested it to me. 

Mr. Addison. — And did you not say, in reply to the obser- 
vation, that if the triangle were formed, and you went to live 
in the same house with the Fletchers, your position would be 
rather ambiguous, — that you would only be in the same posi- 
tion as five hundred other sisters were ? 

Witness. — No. 

Mr. Addison. — And was not it said by some one, that, if 
the arrangement was carried out, the house would be full of 
" troubles " ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — I never heard another thing said. 

Cross-examination continued. — I do not remember any other 
persons than the Fletchers defrauding me of my property. 
My husband was not aware that I had placed the jewelry in 
the possession of the Fletchers. I did not dare to tell him that 
I had placed my jewelry in the hands of the Fletchers to take 
care of. They both insisted that I should not tell my husband 
that I had given them the jewelry. A great cart-load of 
boxes was taken from my house in Vernon Street to Gordon 
Street; and my husband wanted to know where they were 
going to, and I told him they were going to the Fletchers to be 
taken care of. I did not say any thing to my husband about 
the magnetism that was in the jewels. I did not talk to him 
about such nonsense. 

Mr. Addison. — Oh! nonsense, was it? 

Witness. — Well, it was solemn nonsense. It all seemed 
a mysterious affair to me, and I could not understand it. 

Mr. Addison. — But your husband had been present 
when your mother was first introduced to you by Mr. Fletcher, 
while he was sitting in the arm-chair, and his own papa 



THE TESTIMONY AXD CROSS-EXAMINATION. 211 

was introduced on this occasion, standing behind his chair. 
There was no reason to conceal the mysteries from him. 
[Laughter.] 

The witness went on to state that it was always understood 
that she was to have her property back whenever she wished 
to have it. The defendants did not say this, but it was always 
understood that this was the arrangement between them. It 
was an understood thing between me and the Fletchers, that I 
should not make any allusions to my mother's messages in my 
correspondence with them. They advised me not to write any 
thing about these messages. I don't know what has become 
of the letters I wrote to Dr. Mack (McGeary) or the Fletchers, 
but the same rule applied to all my correspondence. I was 
told not to tell; and I promised I would not, and kept my 
word. Mrs. Fletcher told me of the visions she had seen of 
my mother, and her description of her appearance appeared to 
coincide with what I had seen myself. She was present when 
the table moved in the way I have described. Mr. Fletcher 
was not in the room, but he knew what the table was wanted 
for. The " moving " took place in a room called the " Seance 
Room." It came towards me, but stopped before it touched 
me. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Addison. — That was rather fortunate. 

Witness. — I was rather amused by the occurrence. The 
table moved first one leg, and then the other. 

Justice Hawkins. — Like a fashionable dancer. [Laugh- 
ter.] 

Witness. — I thought the affair was ridiculous, but I did 
not exactly laugh at it. While the table was dancing, there 
were loud raps, and the table moved rapidly. 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — A sort of double-shuffle. 
[Laughter.] 



212 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Justice Hawkins.— What sort of a table was this ex- 
traordinary table ? 

Witness. — A little coffee-table. 

Mr. Addison. — Did not you try to get hold of it, and stop 
its proceedings ? — Oh, no ! certainly not. I did not think it 
at all extraordinary when the defendant asked me to look into 
the crystal ball. I had heard of such things being done among 
the Egyptians for the purpose of diving into futurity. 

Did you expect to see a man with a brown beard writing at 
a table in the crystal ball ? 

I did not know what I should see. But when I looked, and 
saw the man with the brown beard, it did not have the effect 
of amusing me as the table-moving had done. I never saw any 
table-moving, nor heard raps, except when Mrs. Fletcher was 
present. 

Mk. Addison. — You are tolerably sharp in all respects, 
except when you are dealing with mysteries, I believe, Mrs. 
Hart-Davies ? 

Witness. — I don't understand you. She went on to say, 
At the time the table moved, there were raps ; and Mrs. Fletcher 
called out to the spirits, and asked what they wanted. I cer- 
tainly loved Mrs. Fletcher very much, and she professed to 
love me. 

Mb. Addison. — Was it that love that induced her to give 
you the photograph you have spoken about ? Witness. — I 
cannot say what induced her to give me this photograph. Mrs. 
Fletcher had previously told me that some of the photographs 
were '.'naughty." [A laugh.] In the letter that has been 
called "the mutilated letter," Mr. Fletcher appeared to attri- 
bute to me a feeling towards him which was totally con- 
trary to the feeling that I really entertained with regard to 
him. 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 213 

Mr. Addison. — Have you ever been " scrunched " by Mr, 
Fletcher? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — Oh, certainly ! And Mrs. Fletcher encouraged 
him. [Laughter. ] 

Did he not say something about your desire to trespass on 
Mrs. Fletcher's ground ? [Laughter.] 

Witness. — I looked upon it as an insult. I did not know 
what he meant by Mrs. Fletcher's ground. There may have 
been five hundred Mrs, Fletchers, for all I know. {Laughter.] 
I was extremely displeased at his imputing to me a passion for 
him which I never entertained or dreamed of. I sent his letter 
and my reply to his wife. 

Mb. Addison. — You knew that he was suggesting some- 
thing that was very wrong ? 

Witness. — Yes. I was angry, and thought that he was 
impertinent. 

Mr. Addison. — Did he not entertain this idea in conse- 
quence of your telling him your dream about walking in the 
garden with him ? 

Witness. — I think that had something to do with it. 

Mr. Addison. — I see, that, in one of the letters, there is a 
reference to your being in Paris with the defendant's husband 
for twenty-four hours. Did any " cuddling " take place at this 
time? 

Witness. — I may have had my head on his breast while 
we were sitting by the fire, but that was all. 

Mr. Addison. — Did you kiss Fletcher while his head was 
on your breast ? 

Witness. — I cannot say how many times I have kissed 
him, but I always kissed him as a brother. 

Did you kiss him hard ? — I do not know what you mean. 
I have kissed him countless times. 



214 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

You really do not know what kissing hard means? — I do 
not. 

Were you all night, or part of the night, in this position ? 
— No. It is an aggravation of the offence to impute such 
conduct to me. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies was about to say something more, when 
Mr. Montagu Williams begged her to be quiet, and answer the 
questions put to her, and not make speeches. 

Mb. Addison. — Do let your witness alone, Mr. Williams. 
Let her tell her own story. [A laugh.] 

Cross-examined. — I was not aware that the defendant or 
her husband treasured up the letters that I sent to them. I 
know nothing about them, or what became of them. Since 
my return from America, I have not taken any steps to find my 
husband, and I have not seen my trustee; but I have seen 
my son. I have seen Dr. Mack several times since my return, 
but not every day, because he has a very large practice. 

Mr. Addison. — Practice as what ? 

Mrs. Hart-Davies. — Is your memory so short ? [Laugh- 
ter.] I have told you before what he is. He is a mesmerizing 
doctor. 

I believe he is now your spiritual brother. 

Witness. — Yes, he is. 

Does he mesmerize you ? — No. 

What sort of a passion did you entertain for Capt. Lind- 
mark? — The affection of a trusting young heart, — nothing 
improper. 

By Mr. Addison. — I introduced Lindmark to the Fletch- 
ers while my husband was alive. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins said he really could not see the 
relevancy of this line of examination; and it appeared to him 
that the matter had nothing whatever to do with the real 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 215 

question at issue, which was, whether the defendant and her 
husband had conspired to cheat Mrs. Hart-Davies of her jew- 
els. Even assuming that the latter had acted immorally, of 
which he was far from saying there was the slightest proof ap- 
parent to him, this had nothing to do with the real question. 

Mr. Addison assured his lordship that he considered it 
most material that the prosecutrix should be cross-examined 
upon these matters. 

Cross-examination continued. — I have seen Capt. Land- 
mark in Mrs. Fletcher's room. I was divorced from my first 
husband in 1875, and I was in France when the divorce was 
pronounced. I did not defend the suit, because I was instructed 
to take that course by my friends to get rid of a bad husband. 
I was quite innocent of any charge of adultery which was 
alleged against me. I was charged with having committed 
adultery with a foreigner named Armenio. I had been living 
with my then husband at Buenos Ayres, and I was going to 
Rio to join my husband : and Armenio was introduced to me 
for the purpose of taking care of me during the voyage; but I 
swear positively over and over again that there was not any 
improper conduct between myself and Armenio on board the 
ship. 

Mr. Montagu TVilliams again interposed, and submitted 
that an inquiry of this kind ought not to be proceeded with, 
as it clearly had nothing to do with the question before the 
Court. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins said he really could not see what the 
conduct of Mrs. Hart-Davies had to do with this case. Sup- 
posing she had acted immorally, what then ? 

Mr. Addison said the defendant had been charged with 
giving the prosecutrix indelicate photographs, and it appeared 
to him very important to show what kind of woman the prose- 
cutrix really was. 



216 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins said he nad every confidence in the 
learned counsel, and he would say no more upon the subject. 

The cross-examination of the prosecutrix was then pro- 
ceeded with. She said, There was nothing wrong in my con- 
duct, and I only submitted to this course for the reasons I 
have stated: that I can swear. The photographs I possess are 
likenesses of myself and Armenio. He was an Italian. I 
have written to him in Italian, but I did not write any thing 
in those letters that was improper. 

Mr. Addison then proposed to read various passages in the 
witness's letters to Armenio; but it was objected to by Mr. 
Montagu Williams, and the learned judge ruled that such evi- 
dence was not admissible. 

Some letters were here handed to the learned judge by Mr. 
Addison; and, after having read them, Mr. Justice Hawkins 
said it appeared to him that they were utterly worthless as 
regarded the present inquiry. He added, that, in his opin- 
ion, if the jury had the whole of the letters placed in their 
hands, and they read them from beginning to end, they would 
not in any way influence their minds upon the main question 
they had to decide. 

The cross-examination of Mrs. Hart-Davies was then pro- 
ceeded with. She said Capt. Lindmark accompanied them 
to America, but she was not angry at his paying attentions to 
Mrs. Fletcher. 

Was he not at that time your lover ? — I swear that he was 
not. [A sketch of the witness and Capt. Lindmark was handed 
to the witness, and she said that it was made by her two years 
ago.'] 

A long technical discussion took place upon the point 
whether this sketch could be legally put in evidence in the 
present case. In the result, Mr. Justice Hawkins ruled that 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 217 

the sketch was not receivable as evidence on the present 
charge. 

Mr. Addison, upon this intimation from the Court, said he 
would withdraw the letters. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies, in further cross-examination, said that it 
was a very common expression to call each other " darling," 
"love," and " sweet brother and sister," and similar terms. I 
do not recollect that I have pictured myself as a wild lioness 
and a tame lioness. 

Me. Addison. — I believe you are very passionate when 
you are roused ? 

Witness. — I am not aware of it. [Laughter.] 

Mr. Justice Hawkins (to whom the picture referred to had 
been handed) said, I see nothing particular in it. It rep- 
resents a young lady with her arms folded, and in a despond- 
ing mood ; and then the same young lady is represented with 
her fist clinched, and apparently striking at something that 
looks like a cocoanut. [Laughter.] 

Cross-examination continued. — I attended the camp-meet- 
ing at Montague. These meetings were of a spiritual character, 
and the fathers and mothers of some of the party are rep- 
resented to be present. There were some Shakers there. 
[Laughter.] 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — There were no " shiverers," I 
suppose ? 

Mr. Addison. — Shakers, Shiverers, and Spiritualists, I 
suppose, all fraternized at these meetings ? Was Dr. Mack a 
Shaker ? 

Witness. — You had better ask him what he is, for he 
certainly is not a Shaker. He and all my other Spiritualist 
friends thought that I had been humbugged by the Fletchers, 
and he told me so. I consider that Dr. Mack has acted in a 



218 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Christian manner to me. My eyes were opened when I got to 
America; and I knew that I had not seen my "mamma," and 
that I had been cheated by the Fletchers. I was satisfied that 
my mother had never addressed any such message as desiring 
me to give to the Fletchers all the property I possessed in the 
world. I cannot tell whether my mother had ever really been 
in communication with me ; but from what I heard from Dr. 
Mack I was quite satisfied that all the pretended messages to 
me from my mother, enjoining me to give my jewelry to the 
Fletchers, were impositions. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies, in answer to questions put by the 
learned judge, said, After my mother's death I continued, as 
I believed, to hold communication with her; and during her 
lifetime there had never been any cessation of the affectionate 
and friendly intercourse that had existed between us. We had 
several intimate friends; but the only person she wished me to 
apply to for advice and counsel, in case of emergency, was a 
gentleman named Sampson. He is dead. My mother during 
her lifetime often spoke to me about her jewelry and other 
property, and she wished me to inherit the whole of it. 

Dr. Mack, alias McGeary, gave testimony similar to 
that given at Bow Street. It was to the effect, that as 
soon as, furnished with a power-of-attorney, he had 
demanded Mrs. Hart-Davies's property in America, it 
had been restored to her ; Mr. Fletcher saying he was 
sorry she had not herself asked for it, instead of em- 
ploying another person. In his cross-examination he 
stated that he took a solemn oath in America that 
he would not leave the country, and was held in recog- 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 219 

nizances of forty thousand dollars. Notwithstanding, 
he came to England, breaking his oath, and forfeiting 
his bond, to assist Mrs. Hart-Davies in getting her 
property from 22 Gordon Street. 

Mr. Francis of the firm of Field, Koscoe, & Co.. a 
London solicitor to whom Mr. Morton had brought 
letters of introduction from Boston, and to whom he 
had introduced Mrs. Hart-Davies when she wished to 
make a will, testified that — * 

Mrs. Hart-Davies appeared to be a very shrewd woman of 
business, and perfectly able to manage her affairs, and seemed 
remarkably clear about her will. She accounted for leaving all 
her property to the Fletchers by saying she did not wish her 
husband to have any of it, and the Fletchers had been very 
kind to her, and they might as well have it as anybody else. 
The witness said that Mr. Morton was a member of the Boston 
bar, and of good standing. 

In reply to a question put by Mr. Montagu Williams, the 
witness said that Mr. Morton was at his office last Monday, 
and he complained of having been mixed up in such an un- 
pleasant business. He said that he had come over from Amer- 
ica in the expectation that he could have given evidence ; and 
he found he could not do so, because he was included in the 
charge. 

The marriage-settlement of the prosecutrix was then pro- 
duced, and this closed the case for the prosecution. 

Mr. Addison took exception to the eighth count, which 
charged a conspiracy to cheat and defraud Mrs. Davies of 
property which was for her sole and separate use, on the 
ground that there was no evidence that such property was for 



220 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

her sole and separate use. The false pretence charged in rela- 
tion to the deed of gift was not, he argued, the false pretence 
contemplated by the statute, as the lady was well aware of the 
nature of the deed when she signed it; and, moreover, she had 
said that it was simply executed as a means of protection, and 
that it was never intended that it should operate. The sixth 
count of the indictment was a conspiracy to steal, 'of which 
there was no evidence. A second objection on the second 
count was, that there was a conspiracy to steal the goods of 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, whereas -she was a married woman. The 
general objection he had to raise upon the conspiracy counts 
was, that Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, being husband and wife, could 
not conspire together; and, that being so, they could not con- 
spire with a third person. Supposing, however, a conspiracy 
could be made between them and Morton, there was no evi- 
dence whatever of Morton having combined with the husband 
and wife to obtain the goods. As to the first three counts, 
which alleged false pretences, the learned counsel argued that 
the spiritual manifestations under which it was said that the 
property was obtained could not be regarded as a false pretence. 
Indeed, it would be a most dangerous thing to say that the 
statements of people in connection with their religious belief 
were capable of being made false pretences. On the doctrine 
of coercion, he submitted that the husband was the person 
who had been the main mover in obtaining the property, and 
that the prisoner was introduced by him to Mrs. Hart-Davies 
in the first instance. 

Mr. Montagu Williams replied at length ; and in the course 
of his remarks he cited, in support of the case for the prosecu- 
tion, the Queen vs. Giles, which was an indictment against a 
woman known as the Wise Woman of Newbury, who pretended 
to bring back runaway husbands " over hedges and ditches " to 



THE TESTIMONY AND CBOSS-EXAMLNATION. 221 

their wives. She received money for so doing. In that case 
the judges held that this was a false pretence within the mean- 
ing of the Act, and that the prisoner was properly convicted. 
He further urged, that the counts alleging the prisoner to have 
exercised acts of witchcraft, sorcery, enchantment, and con- 
juration, were supported by the evidence, and that these counts 
should not therefore be withdrawn from the consideration of 
the jury. 

Mr. Addison said he wished to take his lordship's opinion 
as to whether he should call witnesses. He had a large body 
of evidence, which Mrs. Fletcher earnestly desired he should 
bring forward ; and the witnesses were persons who had seen 
the manifestations by Mr. Fletcher at Steinway Hall at differ- 
ent times, and who said he possessed the powers claimed for 
him. 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — You objected to my evidence 
upon that matter yesterday. 

The Judge. — What do you think, Mr. Addison ? 

Mr. Addison. — Really, my lord, I must stand upon my 
privilege. I don't think your lordship is entitled to ask what 
I think. 

The Judge. — It really comes to this, — there is no doubt 
that the prosecutrix herself says that she really did believe 
these things, and was under that impression for a long while ; 
and, if you are to believe her evidence, there were a great many 
people at the Steinway Hall who also expressed their belief. 
But I do not see how that will affect this particular case we are 
dealing with, as to whether these pretences were made with a 
view to defraud the prosecutrix of her goods. A great num- 
ber of persons may tell us that they believed the prisoner had 
power to converse with spirits; but how will that affect the 
case? 



222 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Addison. — Well, my lord, I have a large body of evi- 
dence of gentlemen of position, magistrates, members of the 
Royal Society, and gentlemen of high literary and scientific 
attainments. 

. The Judge. — Supposing you take the case of an ordinary 
conjurer, who represents that he can turn a bird into a mouse 
and back again, and then into a pinch of snuff [laughter], and 
people believed that he had the power of doing it, would that 
affect any such inquiry as this ? Could any one prove that 
Fletcher had any communication with this lady's mother ? 
You may call evidence as to character, Mr. Addison. 

Mr. Addison. — These gentlemen would come and say that 
Fletcher had these powers. 

The Judge. — You may take it for granted, without exhib- 
iting members of the Royal Society here, that there are thou- 
sands of people who believe, not only that Mr. Fletcher pos- 
sesses these powers, but that others also possess them. I do 
not see, however, how these people can support the proposition 
of direct communication. 

Mr. Addison. — Then I call no witnesses, my lord. 

I looked, and still look, upon this as a fatal sur- 
render of niy rights, and of the duty of my counsel to 
defend me. It was my right that the facts should be 
given. The truth is, that Mr. Addison did not believe 
in the evidence which he, as a mere matter of form, 
proposed to give. In his mind and in his heart he 
appeared to be with the judge, with the prosecution, 
with a large majority of the spectators in court, and 
with the jury, who, being of the usual class of London 



THE TESTIMONY AND CROSS-EXAMINATION. 223 

tradesmen, had no knowledge of, and of course no 
faith in, Spiritualism. So Mr. Addison surrendered to 
the ruling of the Court, and decided to call witnesses 
as to character only. Of these, though they were 
solemnly sworn to tell " the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth," regarding the case on trial, he 
could, according to English procedure, ask but one 
single question, — that as to the reputation of the 
prisoner at the bar. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

SPEECHES OF COUNSEL, WITNESSES TO CHARACTER, AND 
A FATAL SURRENDER. 

By not calling witnesses, Mr. Addison obtained what 
he probably considered an advantage : he got the last 
word. But in that he reckoned without his host. He 
forgot that the last word to the jury would come from 
Mr. Justice Hawkins, whose animus had been all along 
sufficiently evident. 

But Mr. Montagu Williams was not at all disposed to 
give up his own rights in the case. He said, — 

I must stand upon my rights, and claim a reply, as you have 
read a letter in the course of your address. 

Mr. Addison. — This is a most unusual course to pursue 
on the part of a prosecutor. But, standing strictly on my 
right, I deny altogether that the letter was put in hy me. It 
was produced by the policeman Shrives with the bundle of 
letters produced on behalf of the prosecution. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — It matters very little who has 
the last word when we have an intelligent jury. . 

Mr. Montagu Williams, in answer to an appeal from Mr. 
Addison, said, I must decline. I intend to stand strictly upon 
my rights. 
224 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 225 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. —You are here on the part of the 
Crown, Mr. Williams; and if there has been a misunderstand- 
ing, do you not think, on the part of the Crown, that it would 
be better that you should waive your strict rights ? It is not 
a question of civil rights. We are trying a criminal case. 

Mr. Montagu Williams said, that, in deference to the 
expression of opinion by his lordship, he would waive his 
right of reply, and would proceed to address the jury upon the 
evidence he had adduced. He contended that it had been fully 
proved that the prisoner had obtained the property belonging 
to the prosecutrix by false and fraudulent pretences, and that 
she did conspire with her husband, or with her husband and 
Morton, to obtain the property by false and fraudulent pre- 
tences. If she did either, she was guilty upon the indictment. 
He did not think there could be a doubt that Mrs. Hart-Davies 
was a witness of truth, and that her evidence had been corrob- 
orated up to the hilt by the documents he had produced. The 
Fletchers had undoubtedly played upon the imagination of the 
prosecutrix, and the fly had been caught in the web. The 
prisoner had practised a sham; and, where weak women were 
concerned, such people as the Fletchers were dangerous. 
Attacks had been made upon the moral character of the prose- 
cutrix; but what was there to support the insinuations, except 
the production — the disgraceful production — of the letters 
written by Mrs. Hart-Davies ten years ago to Capt. Lindmark ? 
But, suppose that all that had been suggested was true, what 
did it come to ? In what position did it place the prisoner ? 
Why, in the position of a woman who was conniving at, if 
not planning, her husband's adultery, — a woman engaging 
in a most revolting intrigue. He maintained that the evi- 
dence proved the prisoner and her confederates to be most 
dangerous people. Like the quicksand, they ingulfed any 



226 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

wretched person who came within their reach. The defence, 
he supposed, would be that the goods were given to the Fletch- 
ers for safe custody; but, if so, why all that tomfoolery about 
" mamma" ? Why, if it were an honest and a bond fide trans- 
fer,, was it necessary to invent that ridiculous warning to the 
prosecutrix, that the magnetism in her was so strong that it 
would be dangerous to wear the jewels ? The fact was, that 
the prisoner and her confederates were charlatans and jugglers, 
who tried to shelter themselves from the consequences of their 
acts under the profession of Spiritualism. How did Mrs. 
Fletcher take care of the jewelry ? Why, by wearing it, and 
carting it off to America. If the property was placed with the 
Fletchers only for safe custody, what need of the deed of gift, or 
what had been called the "protection letter " ? To Mr. Francis, 
w T ho belonged t© one of the most respectable firms of solicitors 
in London, and who would not have lent himself to any 
thing in the nature of a fraud, the pseudo-lawyer, Mr. Morton, 
represented that the codicil executed by Mrs. Hart-Davies was 
her voluntary- act ; and in that way the Fletchers managed to 
trick the woman out of every thing she had in the world. He 
could not conclude without saying, that he considered the pro- 
duction of the Lindmark letters the most disgraceful thing that 
had ever been attempted in a court of justice. These letters 
were written by prosecutrix in the early part of her life to a 
man for w r hom she was supposed to have a strong affection. 
And where did they come from ? They must have come either 
from Lindmark, or the prisoner; and, if from the latter, how 
did they get into her possession ? In the whole vocabulary 
there were not words sufficiently strong to characterize the 
conduct of a man who would give up a woman's love-letters 
for the purpose of crushing and degrading her. Such a man 
might be a captain, but to his mind he was neither "hand- 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 227 

some" nor gallant. Thank God he was not an Englishman! 
In conclusion, Mr. Williams submitted that the evidence of 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, and the letters of the Fletchers, abundantly 
made out the indictment that the prosecutrix' property was 
obtained by false and fraudulent pretences, and that there was 
a deliberate confederation and combination to obtain that 
property. The law, which Mrs. Hart-Davies now invoked, 
was made for the protection of the weak against the danger- 
ous; and, if the jury considered that the case for the prose- 
cution had been made out, they would by their verdict give 
something like a death-blow to a system, unfortunately grow- 
ing up in this country, which was disastrous in the extreme, 
and which, if not checked, would involve many in speedy and 
irretrievable ruin. [Applause in court.] 

The case, so far as the prosecution was concerned, was con- 
cluded on Saturday; and on Monday morning, on Mr. Addison 
rising to address the jury for the defence, Mr. Justice Haw- 
kins said that the learned counsel need not trouble himself 
about the last count of the indictment (that which had refer- 
ence to a conspiracy to defraud by witchcraft). In the first 
place, there was no evidence to support it ; and the count was 
absolutely bad in itself. As to the first count, he wished to 
know whether there was any desire on the part of the prose- 
cution to amend. 

Mr. Moxtagu Williams. — I do not see any necessity to 
amend. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — Well, I shall direct the jury that 
there is no evidence that the goods were for defendant's sole 
and separate use. 

Mr. Montagu Williams. — Then, I propose to ask your 
lordship to strike out the words " which belonged to her 
for her sole and separate use, apart from the control of her 
husband.' ' 



228 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Mr. Addison said, that, as the defendant was now alone upon 
her trial, he submitted that the Court had no power to amend 
the indictment, in which other parties were included. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins said, that, if the other parties came in 
and claimed to be tried, he would reserve the nice point that 
had been raised by Mr. Addison for the consideration of the 
Court of Criminal Appeal. [A laugh.] 

His lordship, after hearing the arguments on both sides, 
amended the indictment as required. 

Mr. Addison submitted that there was no evidence on the 
fourth count, which was the general conspiracy to defraud 
Mrs. Davies of her property. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — Unless that count be amended, I 
am inclined to think so. 

Mr. Williams. — I submit that the property was found in 
the possession of the prisoner. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins. — But Mrs. Davies is a married 
woman, and it was not her property. 

Mr. Williams. — Then, I shall propose to put in the name 
of the husband as the owner of the property. 

Upwards of an hour was occupied in making other amend- 
ments in the wording of the many counts of the indictment. 

Those who are familiar with criminal procedure in 
Massachusetts and in many other States will see that 
I could not have been convicted if I had been on trial 
at home. In the United States generally, the allega- 
tions in an indi3tment must be proved as stated ; but 
in England, it appears, that, when the proof varies 
from the statement of the case in the indictment, the 
Court gives the prosecution liberty to amend. A judge 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 229 

in Massachusetts, at the point we have now reached in 
the trial, would have promptly directed a verdict of 
acquittal on the ground of variance. Borrowing a 
comparison from the fisherman, the British prosecutor 
has the liberty to use a gaff and landing-net, as well as 
hook, to secure his victim. 

Mr. Addison then asked the permission of the Court to call 
some witnesses, who were anxious to get away, to speak to the 
character of the defendant, before he addressed the jury. This 
was granted; and the first witness called was Mr. Desmond 
Fitzgerald, who said, I am an electric-telegraph engineer, and 
I have known the defendant nearly five years, ever since she 
came to this country. I consider her a polished, disinterested, 
and high-principled gentlewoman. 

The Very Rev. Maurice Davies, archdeacon of the Church 
of England, gave similar evidence. He had also known the 
defendant five years. 

Mr. Dawson Rogers said he had known the defendant two 
years and a half, and he always considered her an honest, 
honorable woman. 

Mrs. Col. Western said she had known the defendant since 
she had been in London, about five years; and she always bore 
the reputation of a high-minded woman. 

Mrs. Mary Boole, a lady of scientific reputation, also spoke 
to the excellent character of the defendant. She said she con- 
sidered her more than honest. 

Mr. Justice Hawkins asked the witness what she meant by 
that expression. 

The witness said, because defendant and her husband had 
many opportunities of making money, which they would not 
avail themselves of. 



230 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

Mr. Frederic Webley and Dr. T. L. Nichols of South 
Kensington gave evidence of the same character. The last- 
mentioned gentleman was one of the defendant's bail for her 
appearance to answer the present charge. 

Dr. Nichols, in reply to Mr. Montagu Williams, said he 
had not seen the defendant's husband lately. He had written 
several letters in the newspapers on the subject of this charge, 
one of which was headed " Witchcraft in 1S81." 

Mr. Hensleigh Wedgewood, formerly a police magistrate at 
the South wark Court, who was another of the defendant's 
bail, spoke of the good character she had always enjoyed 
among those who knew her. 

Several other gentlemen and ladies of position gave similar 
evidence. 

Mr. Addison then proceeded to address the jury for the 
defendant. He said that at last they had arrived at the close 
of an inquiry, which, although interesting in some, was still in 
many respects one of a very painful character. He said he 
would not dispute that his learned friend had conducted the 
case for the prosecution very fairly ; and, if the result had de- 
pended upon speeches, he should have gone away on Saturday 
night with feelings of very great apprehension, after the beau- 
tiful and eloquent speech made by him. The defendant was 
prejudiced by the fact that the prosecutrix was a fascinating 
woman, who told her own story, and who by her demeanor 
and appearance was most likely to have created a strong im- 
pression on the minds of the jury. They had, however, heard 
the character given of the defendant by the numerous persons 
of high position and respectability who had been examined; 
and he would tell them in the first instance, that Mrs. Fletcher 
had come from America solely for the purpose of meeting this 
charge, and of vindicating her character in the eyes of the 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 231 

numerous persons who loved and respected her, and who she 
knew considered her incapable of committing such an act as 
was imputed to her. The jury would not forget, either, that 
the whole of the property of which Mrs. Hart-Davies was 
alleged to have been defrauded hud been restored to her. 
With regard to the husband of the defendant not having sur- 
rendered to meet the charge, the defendant had nothing to do 
with that. He might have his own reasons for not coming 
voluntarily to trial ; but the jury had nothing to do with them ; 
and the only question they had to decide was whether the 
defendant was guilty of the offences of which she was accused. 
He argued, that the husband and Mr. Morton had been in- 
cluded solely for the purpose of endeavoring to convict the 
defendant of conspiracy, and thus make her responsible for 
acts that perhaps could only be imputed to other parties. An 
endeavor had also been made to show that the defendant was 
a witch; but his learned friend who had tried his hand at 
making out that charge did not know how to do it, and the 
witchcraft counts were now decided to be hopelessly bad. He 
said, that, after all, the substantial charge against the defend- 
ant was, that she had obtained these jewels by false pretences, 
and that was the sole question upon which they would have to 
give their verdict ; but he hoped in the result to satisfy them 
that the defendant had never made any false pretences, and 
that there was no ground for this charge. He was not going 
to enter into a discussion as to the truth or falsehood of Spirit- 
ualism. A great many witnesses had been in attendance, who 
would" have testified their belief in it, and have stated what 
wonderful things they had seen; but he was not surprised that 
this kind of evidence had been rejected by his lordship. He 
would only observe this, that if the Spiritualists could raise the 
learned judge in his chair to the ceiling, or, what would be 



232 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

a more difficult task, waft the worthy alderman who sat by 
his side through the ceiling of the court to the top of St. 
Paul's, people might think there was something in Spiritualism. 
[Laughter. ] As it was, however, whatever persons interested 
in the cause of Spiritualism might say, the world generally 
would certainly entertain grave doubts as to there being any 
power in Spiritualism. He should therefore confine himself 
merely to the facts that had been proved in evidence, and he 
should contend with great confidence that there was nothing 
to show that the defendant had in any way deceived or de- 
frauded the prosecutrix. He remarked that Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
who had now found a near spiritual brother in Dr. McGeary, 
admitted that she fully believed in the truth of Spiritualism, 
and was under the impression, long before she knew the de- 
fendant, that her mother had communicated with her from 
the spirit- world. He put it to the jury that Mrs. Hart-Davies 
was a very difficult person to deal with, and her mind was 
evidently in a most extraordinary condition. Although he did 
not for a moment desire to accuse her of immorality or 
improper conduct, still he must ask the jury to consider the 
account she had given of herself, the peculiar relations that 
existed between her and her husband, and her admission that 
she had consented to a decree of separation, and submitted 
to a charge of adultery for which there was no foundation. 
Under these circumstances, he left it to them to say whether 
she was not a woman of a very extraordinary character. She 
was described by a gentleman who had acted as her solicitor, 
as being a remarkably shrewd, clever woman. He asked the 
jury to look at the conduct of the prosecutrix all through the 
transaction, and he submitted that there really was no proof 
that she had been deceived in the slightest degree. With 
regard to her supposed great love and affection for her mother, 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 283 

they would not forget that she never saw her mother for three 
years before her death ; and, from what they had seen of the 
prosecutrix and her peculiar ideas, the probability was that 
they would have quarrelled. She represented that she had 
seen her mother several times in a dream or a vision after her 
death, and she was evidently in a sickly, morbid state of mind ; 
but he submitted that there was no evidence to show that she 
had been deceived by any representations that were made by 
the defendant. The learned counsel went on to comment at 
considerable length upon the conduct of Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
and he asked the jury whether it was not very remarkable that 
her husband had not been called to corroborate her statement 
as to what took place between the defendant's husband and 
the prosecutrix when they were first introduced to each other. 
He said it appeared to him that it was impossible to rely upon 
the testimony of such a woman as Mrs. Hart-Davies. He then 
proceeded to urge upon the jury that the prosecutrix had sev- 
eral relatives living, that she had trustees and various other 
persons who took an interest in her, and yet not one single 
person had been called as a witness to corroborate her story, or 
to tell them what sort of a woman she was. He said it could 
not be doubted that she had all along been living in a peculiar 
atmosphere of her own, and that she could not give her atten- 
tion to the ordinary relations of life. They had heard the evi- 
dence given by Dr. McGeary with regard to Spiritualism, and 
the astounding miracles he represented he had performed ; and 
he asked them what right any one had to come to the conclu- 
sion that the defendant was an impostor, when, according to 
all the facts of the case, she believed that every thing she said 
was true in reference to the visions she saw. The learned 
counsel then drew an amusing picture of what took place at 
the table-moving in Gordon Street, and he remarked that Mrs. 



234 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON, 

Hart-Davies believed in the truth of every thing she saw on 
this occasion. Mrs. Fletcher, the defendant, was not present, 
and could not have been connected with an imposture of any 
kind, if such imposture had actually been practised. As to 
the crystal ball, he contended that what was done by the de- 
fendant was nothing more than the exhibition of a toy of some 
kind, and that it had no serious signification whatever; and the 
prosecutrix was not deceived in any way by what occurred 
with regard to this crystal ball. He next proceeded to call 
the attention of the jury to the extraordinary state of things 
that existed between the parties; and he submitted to the jury, 
that, having regard to this peculiar condition of affairs, it 
would be idle to suppose that the prosecutrix had been induced 
to part with her property by any false pretences made to her by 
the defendant. He did not mean to accuse the prosecutrix of 
wilfully stating what was not true; but what he desired to 
impress upon the jury was, that she was an hysterical, nervous 
woman, who was under a variety of delusions upon this par- 
ticular question, and whose evidence in regard to such trans- 
actions was unworthy of credit. The learned counsel next 
gave an amusing description of the camp at Lake Pleasant, 
and said they could hardly imagine what extraordinary scenes 
must take place where hundreds of Fletchers and Davieses 
assembled, enlivened by Shakers and Shiverers. [Laughter.] 
He then reminded the jury, that, during the whole of the volu- 
minous correspondence that had been produced, not one single 
word was said about Spiritualism, and that the real under- 
standing between the parties was, that the jewels should be 
placed in Mrs. Fletcher's hands for safe custody, to be restored 
when they were wanted ; and he said it appeared to him that 
this arrangement had been fully and honorably carried out by 
the defendant, and that there was not the least pretence for 



SPEECHES OF COUNSEL. 285 

the charge made against her, of having obtained the jewels by 
false pretences. It was also pretty clear, that the defendant 
and her husband did not like to incur the responsibility of 
having such valuable property in their possession without hav- 
ing some document or other for their protection ; and this was 
the explanation of the application that was made to Mr. 
Morton, who was a member of the American bar, and capable 
of giving advice in such a matter. He then observed, that it 
appeared to him to be a most extraordinary thing that they did 
not appear to have ever had any authentic statement of the 
actual value of these jewels and the other property, and that 
the prosecutrix herself swore that her mother's property was 
under the value of a hundred pounds when she administered 
to her effects. He also called their attention to the fact that 
neither the defendant nor her husband had ever pawned or 
misappropriated one single item of the property intrusted to 
them. He said that the prosecutrix appeared to be perfectly 
satisfied with the Fletchers retaining possession of the jewels 
until she met Dr. Mack at Lake Pleasant, and immediately 
after that event a new light seemed to have opened upon her; 
but, the moment the defendant was asked to give up the prop- 
erty, she did so at once. The learned counsel then referred at 
considerable length to the alleged loss of the box of valuable 
lace, and he argued that there was not the slightest evidence 
that any property of this description was ever in the possession 
of the prosecutrix. In conclusion, he dwelt upon the doctrine 
of coercion, and said that whatever had been done by the de- 
fendant, even if they should take an adverse opinion of her 
conduct, was done under the control and coercion of her hus- 
band, and that consequently she could not be held to be 
criminally responsible. 



236 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

For the defence I do not wish to make any further 
comment. From his stand-point he doubtless did the 
best he could. Had he known more of his case, he 
would undoubtedly have done much better. When I 
had heard it, I determined then and there, that, if ever 
my liberty were again imperilled, I would save my 
money, and possibly some lawyer's reputation, by con- 
ducting my own defence. It may be that no English 
counsel or barrister could have done more. What I 
could, and I now see should, have done, was to avail 
myself of the onlj' opportunity I could have, at that 
time, to tell my own stoiy, and put my declaration 
from the prisoner's dock against the oath of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies in the witness-box. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 



>.--,> B 



SIR HENRY HAWKINS S CHARGE TO THE JURY, VERDICT, 
AND SENTENCE. 

On the 12th of April, 1881, I took my seat for the 
last time in the prisoner's clock of the Central Crimi- 
nal Court, and saw and heard the last of Mr. Justice 
Hawkins. 

The summing-up, or charge to the jury, lasted five 
hours. Of course no newspaper could give it entire ; 
and I can only give the fullest and most accurate re- 
port I can find, which in this case seems to be that 
of the "Daily News." On account of its length, the 
report of the charge is placed in the Appendix. The 
presiding justice laid down the law in regard to the in- 
dictment and the proof, and pointed out which counts 
were to be regarded in coming to a verdict. He com- 
mented upon the testimony as it affected the character 
and credibility of the prosecutrix, and as to the value 
of the property under consideration. He declared that 
the evidence fixed no culpability upon the defendant 
Morton. He sketched the beginning of the acqnaint- 

237 



238 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

ance between Mrs. Hart-Davies and Mr. Fletcher, 
and referred pityingly or contemptuously to the delu- 
sion of spiritual communications, in which both parties 
shared, and then instanced the messages purporting to 
come from the mother of Mrs. Hart-Davies as having 
been continued for the purpose of deceiving the prose- 
cutrix, and inducing her to part with her jewels, etc. 
He argued at length upon the deed of gift, regarding 
it as fraudulent, and as having been brought about by 
a combination or conspiracy. On this point he ex- 
pended most of his force, really making the " charge " 
an argument for the prosecution, instead of the fair 
summing-up of an impartial judge. It was far more 
searching and more malignant than the speech of Mr. 
Montagu Williams. 

I have taken the liberty to mark a few sentences of 
this charge with Italics. The reader will see how the 
whole case rested, first, upon the belief of the jury 
in the absolute truthfulness of Mrs. Hart-Davies, and, 
secondly, upon their disbelief of any truth whatever in 
spiritual manifestations. It was necessary, therefore, 
that the character of this witness should be known, 
and that witnesses should be called who could testify 
to the reality, the genuineness, and the nature of spir- 
itual manifestations. All this was shut out. I could 
not call Mr. Morton, because the government prose- 
cutors had included him in the indictment ; and when 



CHAKGE TO THE JUEY. 239 

I proposed to call witnesses of the highest position 
and character to prove that spirits could and often did 
speak to their friends, and give them advice as to their 
affairs, the judge absolutely refused to receive such 
evidence. I continue to quote the newspaper report. 

"His lordship's summing-up occupied five hours, and at its 
conclusion the jury retired to consider their decision. After 
an absence of little more than three hours and a half, they 
returned into court with a verdict of guilty on the counts 
charging the obtaining of the goods by false pretences. Upon 
the counts charging conspiracy, tliey found the prisoner guilty 
of having conspired with her husband, but not with Morton, 
to obtain the goods; and, upon the count charging conspi- 
racy to obtain the execution of the deed of gift by fraudulent 
pretences, they found the prisoner guilty of having conspired 
with her husband and Morton. The jury further found that 
the prisoner had not acted under the coercion of her husband. 

" Mr. Justice Hawkins, addressing the prisoner, said, ' Su- 
san Willis Fletcher, you have been convicted, after a very long 
and patient trial, of having obtained a large quantity of prop- 
erty from Mrs. Hart-Davies by false pretences, in company 
with your husband; and the jury have also found that you 
have been guilty of conspiring with your husband and a person 
named Morton to procure the execution of a deed of gift. 
They have further found you guilty of conspiring with your 
husband, without Morton, of obtaining those goods by false 
pretences. Although a great many counts have been inserted 
in this indictment, yet, considering the whole of the evidence, 
I look upon it in substance as but one offence; and I cannot 
help saying that I think the verdict of the jury is perfectly 



240 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

satisfactory. Indeed, believing, as it is evident they do, the 
testimony of Mrs. Hart-Davies, and looking at the correspond- 
ence before me, I do not see that the jury could have come to 
any other conclusion. And, moreover, I think the jury have 
come to a right conclusion in considering that you were not 
acting under the coercion of your husband to such an extent 
as to make you irresponsible to the criminal law. It becomes 
unnecessary for me, in considering the findings of the jury, to 
reserve any question of law for the consideration of the Crimi- 
nal Court of Appeal ; and I therefore decline to do so. I have 
now only to consider what sentence I am to pass upon you for 
the offence of which you have been found guilty. You are 
standing here, and since the commencement of this trial you 
have stood here alone, unsupported by your husband. If he 
were here, I should have a great deal more to say upon the 
subject than I have to say to you; because, although the jury 
have rightly found that you were not acting under the coer- 
cion of your husband in a sense which would have rendered 
you irresponsible for your acts, yet I cannot help thinking that 
it was through him, and through his professions and his pre- 
tences, that you were first of all yourself induced to embark 
upon a fraudulent conspiracy upon which you unquestionably 
did embark. I cannot help thinking, that but for his designs, 
his counsels, and evil influence, you might yourself have ab- 
stained from attempting these frauds, and making those false 
and fraudulent pretences which you did. I take that into 
consideration in passing sentence upon you. In the result it 
comes to this, that you found a very weak, credulous, foolish 
woman, who was open to all the flattery which you thought 
fit to bestow upon her. You knew very well that she pro- 
fessed to have a great attachment for her dead mother, and 
you worked upon those affections ; and you were tempted by 



CHARGE TO THE JURY. 241 

the sight of her jewelry and valuable property to work upon 
her by pretending, falsely pretending, that her dead mother 
had sent messages to her, begging her to put her jewels and 
clothes into your possession, or that otherwise she would be 
speedily sent into spirit-life, because of the magnetism that 
was in them. It was a miserable, mean, paltry trick which 
you resorted to for the purpose of getting possession of her 
property. Fortunately, very fortunately, she has succeeded 
in obtaining possession of the greater part of it. There is 
another part which has yet to be recovered ; and I do not know 
how much of that which you have obtained is still in the 
hands of those who are in a condition to give it up. I take 
all the circumstances into consideration ; and I look upon your 
case as one in which you most unquestionably were guilty of 
the false pretence which is proved against you, and unques- 
tionably guilty of having acted without that coercion which 
would have protected you in point of law. 

" ' I am not going to pass sentence upon you for any thing 
except that of which you have been found guilty. I myself 
feel that there is a great deal in these letters which shows to 
my mind that both you and your husband had entered into — 
I do not like to call it a conspiracy, in one sense, but into a 
filthy league to throw this wretched woman into the hands of 
your husband. That is not a matter for which I am going to 
punish you, because it is a matter of immorality, which the 
criminal law does not punish; and, if the criminal law does 
not punish it, I have no right to take it into consideration. 
At the same time it shows how little you deserve the character 
which a great number of witnesses thought fit to go into the 
witness-box to give you, one of them stating you to be almost 
a model of purity, honor, and honesty. 

" ' I, nevertheless, take into consideration this circumstance, 



242 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

tliat, but for your husband, you never would have embarked 
in such a fraud as this, or have been guilty of those false pre- 
tences which have brought you within the pale of the crimi- 
nal law. Under these circumstances I shall not pass upon you 
the sentence which the law would authorize me to do. The 
law would authorize me to send you into penal servitude; but 
the sentence which I pass is, that you be imprisoned, and kept 
to hard labor, for the term of twelve calendar months.' 

"The prisoner, who throughout the hearing of the case 
had maintained a calm demeanor, was but slightly affected by 
the sentence. She was at once removed to the cells." 



CHAPTER XXX. 

SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 

I can well believe that I did not appear to be much 
affected by the sentence. I was fully prepared for it. 
Sir Henry Hawkins had his jury well in hand. The 
government expected him to do his work, and I have 
no doubt that the sentence had been discussed and 
settled beforehand. Seven or eight of the jurors, 
including a peculiarly active and hard-headed secular- 
ist-looking foreman, had early, I fear very early, 
made up what they called their minds to do their part 
to " crush out Spiritualism." That some were in 
doubt, and one or two even disposed to be friendly to 
me, is evident from the fact that they kept me in what 
might have seemed a dreadful suspense for more than 
three hours and a half. I was in no suspense what- 
ever. I knew, rather I felt, and had felt for days, 
what would be the verdict. I knew that I should be 
condemned without a hearing. 

Not one word from me, from first to last, had the 
jury that tried me heard me speak, save the two formal 

> 243 



244 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

words, " Not guilty." In justice to Mr. Addison I 
have given the best report I could find of bis argument. 
My own, had I been allowed to make one, would have 
been very different. The jury, if at all fair-minded 
men, must have wished to know what I would say 
about it. I am glad, since my silent conviction, and 
so many other failures of justice, — a few of which 
have come to light, where persons, after enduring 
years of penal servitude, have been found to be 
perfectly innocent of the crimes of which they were 
accused, — that prisoners are to be heard ; glad that 
the very judge that sentenced me has given his sanc- 
tion to a more humane procedure. I predicted at my 
conviction that I should be among the last to be in 
that court convicted unheard. 

The sentence itself was unexpectedly light. Five 
years of penal servitude was the least I had looked 
for. Certainly, if I had been guilty, I had deserved 
that, and more. A post-office letter sorter or carrier 
who steals a shilling's worth of postage-stamps from a 
letter, yielding to the momentary temptation, perhaps 
purposely placed in his way, gets five years of penal 
servitude ; and I, who, according to Mr. Justice Haw- 
kins, had deliberately conspired to deceive a poor 
woman in the most detestable way, taking advantage 
of her faith and affection to rob her of thousands, of 
all she had, — I, whose crime, had I been guilty, was 



SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 245 

a thousand times blacker than that of any highway rob- 
ber or burglar, or perpetrator of an ordinary commer- 
cial forgery, was sentenced to a year's imprisonment ! 

And the reason for this extraordinary lenity was, 
that, after all, I might have acted under the influence 
of my husband. But I had just seen a woman con- 
fessedly guilty of a series of robberies acquitted be- 
cause the jury thought she might have had a husband, 
and have acted under his influence. If my husband 
had made me join him in deceiving and plundering Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, the judge should have instructed the jury 
to bring in a verdict of not guilty. But if I was, as 
he charged, the originator of the foul conspiracy, then 
I deserved the severest punishment he could legally 
inflict. And if I had been guilty of the immorality of 
which he accused me b}' his summary, surely I was 
unworthy of his mercy. 

I cared too little for the terms of the sentence to 
feel any indignation. It was enough to know that it 
was unjust, and to have an entire faith that judge and 
jury, my prosecutors and the public, would some day 
know its injustice, and regret it more than I did. 

There was one point I thought Mr. Justice Hawkins 
might have alluded to. I think it was worth a passing 
notice. Perhaps it escaped his mind. Had I been on 
the bench in gown and wig, and he in the prisoner's 
dock, I should certainly have mentioned it. It was, 



246 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that as soon as I heard, in America, of the accusation 
against me, I came to England to meet it. I had no 
other reason or motive but to meet my accusers face 
to face. 

From the 7th of December to the day of my sen- 
tence, on the 13th of April, I had been at perfect lib- 
erty on bail. This bail was renewed from day to day 
during my trial. On the night of my conviction, when 
I knew my fate as well as I know it nOw, I could have 
gone by the night mail to Paris. Does any reader of 
these pages believe, had I been the mean and odious 
swindler, the sacrilegious deceiver and robber, I was 
accused of being, that I would have left husband, 
child, parents, and friends, and come alone to Eng- 
land, and staid here all through, to be tried, convicted, 
and imprisoned? Was such a thing ever known of 
any criminal in the world? 

Mr. Justice Hawkins was careful not to even allude 
to it. Did the " gentlemen of the jury" give this 
matter a thought ? When a martyr goes to a prison 
or the scaffold for his religion, it does not prove that 
his religion is true, for there are martyrs to all sorts of 
creeds ; but it is a proof of the sincerity of his belief. 
Was it no proof of the sincerity of my belief in Spir- 
itualism, that I came to England, and risked penal 
servitude for it, and endured Sir Henry Hawkins's in- 
sults, and the much lighter suffering of twelve months' 
hard labor in an English prison ? 



SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 247 

I was not alone in my opinion of the sentence of Sir 
Henry Hawkins. I find the following criticism in a 
legal periodical in England, — the " Law Times" of 
April 16, 1881: — 

" The long lecture delivered by Mr. Justice Hawkins to Mrs. 
Fletcher, when passing sentence in what is known as the Spir- 
itualist Case, may have had a salutary effect upon public mo- 
rality: we, however, are disposed to doubt it, and we heartily 
deprecate discourses of this nature. Such discourses are the 
more to be deprecated where jocularity has been the prevailing 
characteristic of the trial, the jokes not being by any means 
monopolized by the bar or the witnesses. A prisoner incurs a 
well-defined punishment by committing specific crimes. This 
is all that the law ever contemplates. To be scolded and dis- 
coursed upon by the judge may, in some cases., be a severe 
addition to the statutory punishment; and, where the prisoner 
is a woman, the severity of this additional punishment may be 
very great." 

Others, by no means friendly to Spiritualism or " the 
Fletchers," wrote something besides paeans of praise 
about the trial and the presiding judge. 

The correspondent of the " Western Morning News," 
writing at the close of the trial at the Old Bailey, 
said, — 

" Mr. Justice Hawkins is, perhaps, the worst judge on the 
bench, from Mrs. Fletcher's point of view, that could have 
been appointed to try a Spiritualist case. He has no toleration 
for views of her kind; and he takes a cynical view of life, 
founded upon a not very favorable experience of it, which does 



248 TWELVE MONTHS IK PKISON. 

not include belief in mesmeric trances, or the devotion of Mr. 
Fletcher to the high spiritual good of his devotees. Rarely has 
a judge spent a more enjoyable week than that which his lord- 
ship has just passed. He has revelled in the equivocal and in 
double entendre. He has hardly spoken without that curious 
twist of the lips which has been more eloquent of laughter 
than laughter itself. To-day his summing-up was mildly ironi- 
cal in parts, but very much against the prisoner. The Spiritu- 
alists talk of instituting actions for perjury against the wit- 
nesses, and especially against the plaintiff. They hardly expect 
to win in such an attempt. But Mrs. Fletcher wants to tell her 
own tale, ' to set herself right with the Spiritualists of England,' 
and to bring back sympathy to her side. Her mouth is, of 
course, closed at present. By including other persons in the 
indictment, her friends were also prevented from giving evi- 
dence ; and she proclaims that she will not rest day or night 
until she has forced the judges of England to listen to her 
explanations." 

How this writer could know what I was proclaiming 
in my solitary cell, in which I was locked in Tothill 
Fields, Westminster, is one of the mysteries of clair- 
voyance or clairaudience known to newspaper corre- 
spondents. 

The editor of " Light," the leading Spiritualist 
paper in England, though careful not to defend me 
himself, as he could not prudently have done, had the 
fairness to publish the following letter : — 

To the Editor of " Light." Sir, — I think you will grant 
tne a little space for the expression of some individual opinions 



SOMK COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 249 

for which no one need hold you responsible. It is right that 
allowance be made for my personal interest in the case, but I 
think I have a right to be heard. 

My personal interest is this. I am an American, though 
now for twenty years resident in England ; and Mrs. Fletcher 
is my countrywoman, severed from country, friends, parents, 
husband, child. She is also my friend, whom I greatly esteem 
for many talents and virtues, — eloquence, wit, great kindness 
and generosity, heroic courage, and unfaltering fidelity. Be- 
lieving in her thoroughly, I have stood by her side during this 
trial. It was a small matter to become one of her bail, a tri- 
fling inconvenience, with no risk; because a woman who came 
across the Atlantic in mid-winter to meet an accusation against 
her, who left home, country, and safety, and risked penal servi- 
tude, simply and only to meet and repel an accusation which 
she alleged to be false, was not likely to run away. This heroic 
action was not so much as mentioned by Mr. Justice Hawkins 
in his charge to the jury; nor has it been even hinted at in the 
leaders of the press which have followed the conviction, — tor- 
rents of abuse which take the place of the dead cats, rotten 
eggs and worse, of the times of the pillory. 

In many ways there has been a failure of justice. The 
whole case of the prosecution rested, as Mr. Justice Hawkins 
admitted, upon the credibility of one witness, and that was in 
no way tested. Her two husbands, relations, trustees, friends, 
were absent. Mr. Morton, who might have given important 
evidence, and who came from America to do so, was included 
in the indictment, so that his testimony was shut out. 

The prisoner was not examined. Her story is yet untold. 
This is, in my opinion, a horrible feature of English criminal 
procedure. In other countries a person accused of crime can 
make his own explanations. I have seen a man convicted of 



250 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

murder in England, and then asked, after the verdict, what he 
had to say. His simple story convinced every one who heard 
it of his innocence. Had the jury heard it, they would never 
have found him guilty. The judge went through the ceremony 
of putting on the black cap, and sentencing him to be hanged, 
and then wrote to the home secretary to get the other farce 
enacted, of sending her Majesty's pardon to a man as innocent 
as herself of the crime of which he had been convicted. 

In the case of Mrs. Fletcher no defence has been made. 
She has been condemned unheard. I see it stated that some 
hundreds of pounds were expended for the defence. For 
what? To examine a hundred and twenty feet of parchment, 
every line of which I am taxed to pay for ; for a cross-examina- 
tion which had no effect; for calling a dozen witnesses to 
character whose testimony did not weigh a pin's head with 
judge or jury or the public. 

Testimony was offered to prove the reality of spiritual mani- 
festations, and that the prisoner at the bar might, and prob- 
ably did, act in good faith. .She was charged with making 
false pretences, " well knowing them to be false." All testi- 
mony to show that the facts of Spiritualism are genuine was 
ruled out of court. It was assumed that every medium is an 
impostor, and every believer in Spiritualism a dupe. The logic 
of the trial, — and the case put to the jury, — was this, Every 
person professing to be a Spiritualist is either a knave or a fool. 
The accused are not fools, ergo they are knaves. 

The efforts to injure the character of Mrs. Fletcher in re- 
spect to matters not within the jurisdiction of the Court seem 
to me very cowardly. What had a photograph of a lady in a 
fashionable dress not more objectionable than every one may 
see at any ball or dinner — such a photograph as may be seen 
in a hundred shop-windows — to do with her guilt or inno- 



SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 251 

cence ? How could a photograph handed to the jury affect the 
question of obtaining property by false pretences ? So of the 
cruel insinuation that Mrs. Fletcher had promoted a criminal 
intimacy between her husband and the prosecutrix, for which 
there was no foundation, and with which the Court had noth- 
ing to do, but which was charged, by the judge in his sentence, 
against the silent and helpless victim, who sat there bound and 
gagged, and who could neither answer nor resist. With some 
men the days of chivalry are ended, or have never begun. 

It is said that Spiritualism was not on trial in this case. 
No, not on trial ; nor was Mrs. Fletcher. She and Spiritualism 
were alike condemned without a hearing. I see now that it 
would have been infinitely better, had she defended herself, 
and told her own story to the jury. It is a favorite saying of 
the lawyers, that a man who pleads his own case has a fool for 
his client. But in this case Mrs. Fletcher could not have done 
less, or done worse, and might have done much better. She 
would have had the satisfaction of telling her own story. As 
it was, the only words heard from her lips were, " Not guilty, 
my lord." They were said fervently and sincerely. 

As a witness I have something to complain of. I fear that 
I committed perjury. I feel myself forsworn. I took a solemn 
oath to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the 
truth;" and I was allowed only to answer one question, which 
was not considered of the least importance. I could have 
given testimony which I think of some value as to the char- 
acter of communications from departed spirits, and how they 
are affected by the characters of those to whom they are given 
and through whom they are received ; but, after all my solemn 
swearing as to what I would do, I was only permitted to say 
that I had known Mrs. Fletcher for three years; that I had 
known her American friends ; that I had in my possession her 



252 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

letters of introduction from high official persons in America to 
the Hon. James Russell Lowell, American minister, giving her 
the highest character for integrity and honor; and that I had 
formed the same opinion from intimate acquaintance. But 
my mouth was stopped, and I was not allowed to give much 
other testimony which I think ought to have been given. 

For had the jury believed that messages were, or even could 
have been, received by the prosecutrix from her mother, 
through the Fletchers, they would have been bound to acquit 
the prisoner. If such messages are ever received, they may 
have been in this case. If Mrs. Heurtley could communicate 
with her daughter, she may have wished her to live with the 
Fletchers, and divide her property with them, or leave it to 
them " for the propagation of Spiritualism in its higher phases." 
It is a rule of law that an accused person must be considered 
innocent until proven guilty, and that, if a juryman sees any 
reason to doubt, the benefit of such doubt must be given to 
the accused. 

The fact that the jury took more than three hours and a 
half to find a verdict shows that there was much doubt and 
hesitation, probably energetic bullying on one side, and weak 
surrender on the other. Few men have the firmness to stand 
by their convictions against a majority. We have read that 
" wretches hang, that jurymen may dine." 

This trial and its result carry us back to worse times, when 
witches were burned or hanged, and Quakers were imprisoned 
and whipped. Tender Quaker women were whipped from town 
to town, chained to a cart's-tail, in Massachusetts, stripped to 
the waist, and the lash cutting into their naked bosoms. For 
very light offences, or for none, women have been burned at 
Smithfield, at Tyburn, and at Newgate. We may be thankful 
for so much of progress as that which gives to Spiritualists 
milder punishments. 



SOME COMMENTS OX THE CASE. 253 

That Mrs. Fletcher is a martyr to Spiritualism no Spiritu- 
alist now doubts. Had Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher been members 
of any other religious body, there would have been no criminal 
prosecution. The question as to property would have been 
settled in a court of equity. Questions often arise as to undue 
influence, wills are contested ; but we do not hear of criminal 
prosecutions of either Catholic priests or Protestant pastors. 
Mr. Fletcher, Mrs. Fletcher, and Mr. Morton have been con- 
victed because they are Spiritualists. * 

Ti L. NICHOLS, M.D. 
April 14, 1881. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

IN#THE PILLORY. 

Before the establishment of the free and enlightened 
newspaper with its present enormous " world-wide " 
circulation, convicted criminals were sentenced to stand 
a certain number of hours, fastened upon a platform, in 
some public place, to be gazed at, jeered, execrated, 
and pelted with mud, rotten eggs, dead cats, and other 
male-odorous missiles, by the London mob. Some were 
nailed by the ear to the post in the pillory; some, 
especially libellers, had their ears cut off. In rare 
cases, prisoners exposed in the pillory were pelted to 
death. The author of " Robinson Crusoe" was put 
in the pillory. The Rev. Titus Oates was whipped 
through the streets, and exposed in the pillory, many 
times. 

In more intelligent and humane times the pillory was 
abolished. It was not only a cruel and brutalizing 
spectacle, like bull-baiting or pigeon-shooting, but it 
left the punishment of criminals to the caprices or 
prejudices of the public. 
254 



EST THE PILLORY. 255 

My pillory, as one of my friends has happily said, 
was first the gratuitous, superfluous, and, as the " Law 
Times " holds, quite impertinent, tirade of the judge who 
sentenced me, and, next morning, the similarly cruel 
and very unusual abusive articles in the newspapers all 
over England, — cruel, in that they wounded many 
innocent persons (for I had parents, a son, and many 
friends), — cruel and unjust, because false, libellous, 
and in excess of my legal punishment. I had been 
condemned to twelve months' imprisonment with hard 
labor. Sir Henry Hawkins added some sentences of 
very bitter abuse on his own account, and set the news- 
papers a very bad example, which they were quick to 
follow. 

Had I been a common thief or a common swindler, 
all these tirades would have been spared me. Nay, 
taking the case just as it was, and considering the 
restoration of the property, and my coming to England 
to meet the charge against me, can any one believe 
that I would have been convicted at all, had I not 
been a Spiritualist? and, had I been, would the case 
have been a subject of newspaper leaders all over the 
kingdom ? 

No doubt these articles are the mere echoes of the 
judge's charge and sentence, and the expression of 
popular prejudice and ignorance. They are not the 
less cruel libels, and aggravations of the punishment 



256 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

which a prejudiced verdict enabled the Court to inflict. 
I have not space to give them all: I have not seen 
them all. For a whole year I was not allowed to see 
a newspaper : so they were quite lost to me until they 
had been forgotten by everybody else. From the few 
that were saved for me, I must, however, as a matter 
of history, give a few extracts. 

First let me observe, that it is quite safe to say that 
there are confirmed Spiritualists upon the staff of 
every important London newspaper. On several there 
are writers who have personal knowledge of my hus- 
band's mediumship and of my own. That makes no 
sort of difference : a newspaper supplies what the 
public is supposed to demand. 

"The whole miserable story [says the " Times "] is as gross 
a case of vulgar chicane and imposture as can readily be 
imagined. We are not concerned, any more than the judge 
who tried the case, to consider in reference to it how many 
persons believe in what they are pleased to call Spiritualism. 
Its so-called phenomena may, for all we know or care, be a 
legitimate subject for scientific investigation; but, when its 
agency is employed for the purposes of direct extortion, it is 
quite impossible to regard it as any thing else than a very 
clumsy form of imposture, which the law does well to punish 
whenever it gets the chance. . . . The story of Mrs. Hart- 
Davies recalls in many of its features the memorable suit of 
' Lyon vs. Home,' tried before Vice-Chancellor Giffard in 1868. 
Take an adroit 'medium' and a weak, foolish, fanciful woman 
with property in her own control, and bring them into com- 



IN THE PILLORY. 257 

munication, and the inevitable result seems to be, that a good 
deal of the property of the woman gets transferred to the 
medium. The medium, as Mr. Home explained in the case to 
which we have referred, is a mere vehicle of spirit communi- 
cation: he cannot control the utterances of the spirits; he can- 
not summon them at will; he cannot even distinguish good 
spirits from bad, lying spirits from truthful ones. . . . Now, 
all this kind of thing may. as we have said, be a matter worthy 
of strict and patient scientific investigation; but to ordinary 
common sense, and still more to the eye of justice, dealing 
with accepted rules of evidence and with incontestable princi- 
ples of human nature, it is nothing more than imposture, 
gross, palpable, and revolting. If, moreover, a medium is an 
impostor, he is a very clumsy impostor. A tenth-rate conjurer 
can beat him on his own ground. . . . No medium has ever 
yet revealed any thing that was at once true, worth knowing, 
and knowable only by means not accessible to the rest of man- 
kind. Their levitations, table-movings, floatings in the air, 
and the like, are clumsy tricks at the best, easily wrought by 
a conjurer, and, even if due to undetected natural agencies, 
they throw no light whatever on the alleged communications 
of spirits; while as to their actual spirit-messages, they are so 
vulgar, fatuous, and puerile, that, if they could be believed by 
any rational being, they would add a new terror to death, and 
furnish, as Professor Huxley said, a new argument against 
suicide. 

" The delusion of Spiritualism is no new one, but, happily, 
it is now a waning one. The Fletchers are now dismissed to 
join the Homes, the Slades, and other mediums whose vogue 
is past. It is certainly a very good thing that the machina- 
tions of mediums, magnetic doctors, and the like, should occa- 
sionally come within the reach of the criminal law. Not 



258 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

merely is their conviction a warning to the public at large to 
have nothing to do with people professing mysterious arts, 
who come from no one knows where, and live no one knows 
how; but the glimpses we get in evidence of their daily life 
and habits are sufficient to disgust all decent persons with the 
very name of medium, and with every thing associated with 
Spiritualism. ... It would be well if the law were less toler- 
ant than it is of such offences against public morals and public 
decency. Overt acts of imposture and fraud necessarily and 
very properly come within reach of the criminal law. But are 
the seances in which these things begin really less offensive to 
the public welfare? We punish and prohibit fortune-telling 
and other practices of the kind. But fortune-telling is nowa- 
days a sorry and unprofitable kind of imposture, not to be com- 
pared with Spiritualism as a means of gaining a livelihood out 
of the public credulity. Spiritualism practised for gain is as 
false as fortune-telling, and far more mischievous. Why should 
we prohibit the old imposture, and leave the field open for the 
new?" 

Parliament has not yet seen its way to pass an act 
making it a penal offence to witness spiritual manifes- 
tations, nor to punish a belief in the existence of spirits 
by fines or imprisonment ; and, as there are Spiritual- 
ists in both Houses, it might be difficult to put such a 
law in operation. 

/'In the old days [says the "Daily Telegraph"] Mrs. 
Fletcher might have been burned alive, or drowned in the 
nearest horse-pond, for her necromantic proclivities. Even so 
recently as forty years ago, a person convicted of ' pretending 
to exercise or use any kind of witchcraft, sorcery, enchant- 



IK THE PILLORY. 259 

ment, or conjuration, ' would have been locked up for one 
year, and besides would have had to stand once every quarter 
in the pillory, 'in the market-town of the county, on the day 
when the market is held.' Mrs. Fletcher will not have to 
endure the penalties of this particular offence, but she will 
reap a richly deserved reward for her nefarious actions in the 
sentence which Mr. Justice Hawkins has pronounced." 

After a resume of the case, evidently based upon 
the summing-up of the judge, the "Telegraph" con- 
cludes : — 

" This case shows pretty plainly the danger of dealing with 
professional Spiritualists. Mr. Fletcher seems to have been 
gifted with all those peculiar powers which make a person 
what is called a good 'medium.' His 'trances,' however, 
were gross, and ought to have seemed, to any one of the least 
perception, palpable shams. There are too many of these in- 
famous impostors about, and it is to be hoped that this trial 
will open the eyes of their dupes. L nfortunately the female 
conspirator alone has been punished; while the worst offender, 
Fletcher himself, remains at large. Probably he and Mr. Mor- 
ton are enjoying themselves somewhere in America, but at 
present the fact remains that justice has only been half satis- 
fied by the verdict which the jury yesterday pronounced." 

"'Spiritualism,' as it is termed [the "Standard" says], is 
a matter with regard to which various shades of opinion are 
known to exist. There can be no doubt, however, as to the 
justice of the verdict delivered last evening at the Old Bailey." 

Giving its version of the details of the case, the 
u Standard * goes on to say, — 



260 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

" There is, no doubt, a good deal in the case which has not 
been brought out. Mrs. Hart-Davies is clearly a very silly 
woman, capable of almost any folly; but there is no need for 
us to consider either the truth or falsehood of Spiritualism, or 
to take into account the precise degree of folly of which the 
prosecutrix was capable. After the whole pitiful story had 
been sifted out, the issues left to the jury were very considera- 
bly narrowed down. Had Mrs. Fletcher obtained valuable 
property from the prosecutrix ? As to this there was no possi- 
ble doubt. Had she done so by representing to the prosecutrix 
that such gift or disposition was at the instance, and, indeed, 
at the express wish, of the late Mrs. Heurtley ? As to this, 
again, there was literally no question. It only remained, 
then, to ask whether Mrs. Fletcher herself believed in the 
truth of these messages from spirit-land; for, if she did not 
believe in them, she was clearly guilty of a fraudulent pre- 
tence. Such was the issue which Mr. Justice Hawkins left to 
the jury, and upon it the jurors have convicted Mrs. Fletcher. 

" With the more enthusiastic adherents of Spiritualism it 
is idle to attempt to argue. No exposure is sufficient to shake 
their faith. But there are certain broad facts in the present 
case which those who are not too deeply pledged to the follies, 
and, we may add, to the something worse than folly, of this 
new philosophy, will do well to consider. In the first place, it 
is clear that professional mediums are, as a rule, persons of 
somewhat questionable antecedents. There is always an at- 
mosphere of doubt about them. Spiritualism, in short, is dis- 
reputable; and its surroundings are disreputable, or even worse. 
No man who respects himself would allow his wife or his 
daughters to attend professional seances, or to habitually asso- 
ciate with professional mediums. Beneath all the rubbish 
that is talked about ' spheres of spiritual existence ' and ' odic 



IX THE PILLORY. 261 

power,' there lies an ugly under-current, the nature of which 
any man of the world can at once determine for himself. Nor 
is it a fact without significance, that whenever a professional 
Spiritualist appears in court, it is to answer some such charge 
of fraud as the present." 

The provincial press no doubt followed its leaders. 
I have seen but one example from a remarkably good 
newspaper, the " Leicester Free Press," which says, — 

''The rogues and impostors who practise certain arts and 
tricks included under the heading of 'Modern Spiritualism' 
have received another warning. The news that Mrs. Fletcher, 
a ' Spiritualist,' has been sentenced to twelve months' im- 
prisonment with hard lahor, for obtaining property by fraud 
and false pretences, will, it is to be hoped, act not only as a 
deterrent to unscrupulous knaves, but as a caution to all 
credulous fools." 

I have not given the most abusive passages of these 
articles. When a woman is once locked up in prison, 
it is quite safe, and I presume it is considered manly 
and honorable, to libel her, and "say all manner of 
evil against her, falsely." Whether it is considered 
manly and honorable, and worth}' of the character of 
English gentlemen, to strike, or kick, or cover with 
torrents of abuse and lies, an utterly unprotected, 
imprisoned woman, I have no means of knowing. I 
think, however, that it is not usual, even in the case 
of criminals who are unquestionably guilty. Had I 
been simply a thief, a robber, a murderess, the prison 



262 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

or the gallows would have been thought punishment 
enough. Why, then, did the English press depart from 
its usual custom? I believe there is but one answer. 
It was because I was a Spiritualist. Had we all of 
us been members of any religious denomination, — 
Irvingites, Plymouth Brethren, or members of the 
Salvation Army, — the property question would have 
been settled in a civil court, and I should neither 
have been sentenced to Tothill Fields Prison, nor 
libelled in leading articles. 

The best answer I can give to this ignorant and con- 
temptuous, and, as it seems to me, contemptible, abuse 
of Spiritualists, is to call a moment's attention to the 
names and positions of a few of those who have given 
the matter a careful investigation, and avowed their 
belief in what are called " spiritual manifestations." 

Americans are not considered less clever or less intel- 
ligent than Englishmen ; and in America, Spiritualists 
are counted by millions, including presidents, govern- 
ors of States, professors of universities, clergymen, 
physicians, judges, lawyers, and men of every class 
and profession. 

Among the more distinguished persons, living or 
dead, who have become satisfied with the reality of 
more or less of the phenomena called u psychic" or 
" spiritual," are the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, 
F.R.S., president R.A.S ; W. Crookes, fellow and gold 



IN THE PILLORY. 263 

medallist of the Royal Society; C. Varley, F.R.S., 
C.E. ; A. R. Wallace, the eminent naturalist ; W. F. 
Barrett, F.R.S.E., professor of physics in the Roj'al 
College of Science, Dublin; Dr. Lockhart Robertson; 
Dr. J. Elliotson, F.R,S., sometime president of the 
Ro} T al Medical and Chirurgical Society of London ; Pro- 
fessor de Morgan, sometime president of the Mathe- 
matical Society of London ; Dr. William Gregory, 
F.R.S.E., sometime professor of chemistry in the 
University of Edinburgh ; Dr. Ashburner, Mr. Rutter, 
Dr. Herbert Mayo, F.R.S. ; Professor F. Zoilner of 
Leipzig, author of " Transcendental Physics," etc.; 
Professors G. T. Fechner, Scheibner, and J. H. Fichte, 
of Leipzig ; Professor W. E. Weber of Gottingen ; 
Professor Hoffman of Wiirzburg ; Professor Perty of 
Berne ; Professors Wagner and ButlerofT of Petersburg ; 
Professors Hare and Mapes of U.S.A. ; Dr. Robert 
Friese of Breslau ; Mons. Camille Flammarion, astron- 
omer ; the late and present Earls of Dunraven ; T. A. 
Trollope; S. C. Hall; Gerald Massey ; Capt. R. Bur- 
ton ; Professor Cassal, LL.D. ; Lord Brougham ; Lord 
Lytton ; Lord Lyndhurst ; Archbishop Whately ; Dr. 
Robert Chambers, F.R.S.E. ; W. M. Thackeray ; Nas- 
sau Senior ; George Thompson ; W. Howitt ; Sergeant 
Cox ; Mrs. Browning ; Bishop Clarke, Rhode Island, 
U.S.A. ; Darius Lyman, U.S.A. ; Professor W. Den- 
ton ; Professor Alexander Wilder ; Professor Hiram 



204 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Corson ; Professor George Bush ; twenty-four judges 
and ex-judges of the United States courts ; Victor 
Hugo ; Baron and Baroness von Yay ; W. Lloyd Gar- 
rison, U.S.A. ; Hon. R. Dale Owen, U.S.A. ; Hon. 
J. W. Edmonds, U.S.A.; Epes Sargent; Baron du 
Potet ; Count A. de Gasparin ; Baron L. de Gulden- 
stiibbe ; H. I. H. Nicholas, Duke of Leuchtenberg ; 
H. S. H. the Prince of Solms ; H. S. H. Prince Emile 
of Sayn Wittgenstein; Hon. Alexander Aksakof, im- 
perial councillor of Russia ; the Hon. J. L. O'Sullivan, 
sometime minister of U.S.A. at the court of Lisbon; 
M. Favre Clavairoz, late consul-general of France at 
Trieste ; the late Emperors of Russia and France ; 
Presidents Thiers and Lincoln, etc. 

This list might be greatly extended. Some of these 
men are among the brightest lights of science, who 
have given much time to these investigations ; yet the 
writers of newspaper leaders have no hesitation in set- 
ting them all down as knaves or fools, charlatans or 
dupes. 

Two centuries ago Spiritualism, in the sense of a 
belief in the supernatural, was all but universal. The 
present fashion is materialism. A century ago people 
were hanged for witchcraft : now any person pretend- 
ing to be a witch or sorcerer may be sent to prison 
as a rogue and vagabond. When Mr. Slade was con- 
victed in England, and escaped prison by an infor- 



IN THE PILLORY. 265 

mality, he went to Germany, where his manifestations 
were thoroughly examined by the late Professor Z611- 
ner of the University of Leipzig, who published the 
result, with photographic illustrations, in his u Tran- 
scendental Physics." He afterwards, with his brother- 
professors, made a similar series of investigations of 
the phenomena produced in the presence of my friend, 
Mr. W. Eglinton. 

I give these facts, partly to show that the ignorance 
of some leader-writers for English newspapers is nearly 
as great as their — I leave the reader to supply the 
proper expression. I can think of no word but bru- 
tality, and my love for the poor brutes hinders me 
from instituting a comparison. They seem, in my 
case, to have been given over to " hardness of heart, 
and blindness of mind." 

A London correspondent of the " Banner of Light" 
says of this curious outburst of intolerance, — 

"The man who strikes at this helpless woman in prison 
commits an outrage against every Spiritualist. Her cause is 
our cause. Every medium, and every aider and abettor of a 
medium, can be imprisoned by English law, as well as Mrs. 
Fletcher. It seems to me mean and cowardly in the last and 
lowest degree to attack a woman in prison in any case, though 
almost the entire English press did so the day after Mrs. 
Fletcher was sentenced. But it is not their custom. They 
would not have done to a murderer what they did to a Spiritu- 
alist. 



266 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

" The fact of Mrs. Fletcher being a Spiritualist was the only- 
proof of her guilt; and that, in English law, is sufficient. It 
made Slade a rogue and a vagabond: it convicted Mrs. Fletcher 
of false pretences. The only false pretence alleged was that 
Mrs. Fletcher pretended to receive messages from the spirit of 
Mrs. Heurtley. Not a shadow of proof was offered that she 
did not receive such messages. It was assumed by judge and 
jury that she could not have received them. The verdict was 
based solely upon this assumption. It was preconceived opin- 
ion, and the assumption of English law, upon which Mrs. 
Fletcher was made a martyr for Spiritualism. It has been the 
same in every religious persecution. When Roman Christians 
were brought before Nero, there was no proof of guilt. It 
was not shown that Christianity was a pestilent imposture: 
that was assumed. ' My religion, the religion of the state, is 
true: your religion contradicts that; ergo, it is false. Take 
these Christians to the Flavian amphitheatre, and throw them 
to the lions. It will amuse the populace.' Spanish inquis- 
itors, Calvin at Geneva, Henry VIII. , who with perfect 
impartiality burned Catholics who denied his supremacy, and 
Protestants who denied the Real Presence, had the same con- 
venient method of procedure. In the same fashion, Eliza- 
beth filled the prisons of England with nonconformists, and 
Charles II. and James II. imprisoned Quakers and other dis- 
senters; and women were whipped from town to town, tied to 
the cart's-tail, in old Massachusetts; while the parsons of the 
period, like some Spiritualist editors now, stood by, and en- 
couraged the executioners to lay on harder, and make their 
lashes cut deeper into the naked flesh of their victims." 



CHAPTER XXXII. 



THE OTHER SIDE. 



All this time the other side of the story had not 
been heard. The ancient maxim, ■" audi alteram par- 
tem," had not been so much as whispered. Evidently 
it did not occur to the writers for the press that there 
was any other side than the one which had been pre- 
sented to the jury. In my case, which was a t} T pe of 
many more, there was a clamorous multitude and a 
silent prisoner. 

I think, before giving an account of my twelve 
months in prison, I should give in this place some of 
the testimony that should have been given at the trial, 
not only in justice to myself, but for the sake of the 
honest people all over the world who were made to 
detest me by my conviction. It was a wrong to me, 
but the wrong to .the millions who were deceived by 
such a u trial " was far greater. 

I have given in the preceding chapter a list of men, 
who, after a thorough examination, have testified to 
the objective reality of the facts w T hich constitute what 

267 



268" TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

is called " Spiritualism." All these men and women, 
and a multitude of others, as intelligent and as honest 
as there are in the world, would have testified to the 
fact of communications with departed spirits. 

No doubt eminent men could have been called who 
would have said they did not believe these facts. 
Such negative testimony is, of course, worthless. We 
do not want the testimony of those . who shut their 
eyes, and then tell us they cannot see. Those who 
have seen and heard and felt are the proper witnesses. 

If permitted to do so, I could have abundantly 
proved that there are spirits who can make themselves 
heard, seen, and felt, so as to be recognized, as far as 
identity can be proven. These spirits are not necessa- 
rily wise or good, any more than those of living men 
and women. A foolish man or a silly woman does not 
become wise at once by getting out of an earthly em- 
bodiment. Having proved the facts of spirit-existence 
and of spirit-communication, why should not the de- 
parted Mrs. Heurtley, with her mysterious relations, 
communicate with her peculiar daughter? — why not 
wish her to be under her own care and guidance, by 
being- with those through whom she might give her 
messages of such wisdom as she had learned? 

There are American judges, like the late Judge 
Edmunds of the New-York Court of Appeals, who are 
intelligent and devoted Spiritualists. Had it been my 



THE OTHER SIDE. 269 

fortune to be tried before such a judge, any reader 
can see that it might have made a difference. 

Next to the witnesses that should have been called 
to prove the facts of Spiritualism, the most important 
witness was Mr. Morton, who was excluded from the 
witness-box by being included in the indictment. There 
is no doubt of Mr. Morton's legal position as a mem- 
ber of the Massachusetts bar. and also as a member 
of the bar of the Circuit Court of the United States ; 
and his high and honorable position, professional and 
social, is thoroughly and strongly indorsed by gentle- 
men of high standing at the bar, as well as by those 
holding prominent positions in the affairs of state, and 
by letters from an eminent Boston lawyer to Mr. Fran- 
cis, the London solicitor to whom he introduced Mrs. 
Hart-Davies. 

AVe had known Mr. Morton in Boston as a Spiritu- 
alist. When he came to London, he called to see us ; 
and subsequently, having more rooms than we required, 
we were able to offer him one. He was never our 
lawyer, or secretary, or any thing but an old acquaint- 
ance and respected friend. 

Mr. Morton, writing from Boston on March 10, 1881, 
after the examination at Bow Street, and before the 
Old Bailey trial, said, — 

"I believe it was not until Mrs. Hart-Davies came under 
the personal influence of James McGeary (otherwise called Dr. 



270 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

Mack) that she ever dreamed of assailing the Fletchers; nor 
does her position at the beginning indicate that she intended 
to bring suit. But, once under the sway of a man who has 
been an openly avowed enemy of the Fletchers, it was impos- 
sible for her to stop. And thus she wandered on in her evi- 
dence, without fear of contradiction, assailing everybody else 
in order to protect herself; and her attack upon me is only 
another of the inexplicable turns of this Extraordinary case. 
The giving a home to Madam Hart-Davies may have been an 
error of judgment; and, if so, let Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher be 
held responsible for it as an error, and not as a crime." 

In his testimony in regard to his acquaintance with 
us, and his connection with this case, Mr. Morton 

says,— 

"I had known Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher publicly and privately 
for many years in America, where they occupied prominent 
positions as mediums and lecturers of acknowledged ability. 

"I was consulted by Madam Hart-Davies as to the proper 
way to dispose of certain property so as to protect it from her 
husband, and which she desired to give and intrust to the 
Fletchers. I gave the desired legal advice, asking at the same 
time under what influence she had been led to bestow these 
things upon them. Her reply was, that no persons, spirits or 
mortals, had influenced her in any manner. Under her instruc- 
tions a deed of gift w T as made and taken home, and copied by 
her. This done, Mrs. Fletcher was apprised of the fact, and 
the paper read to her. Subsequently Madam Hart-Davies 
made a will in her own handwriting, in order, as she said, that 
there should be 'no question as to her intentions,' and 'to 
prevent the possibility of future litigation/ The existence and 



THE OTHER SIDE. 271 

contents of this will were not mentioned by me until the follow- 
ing year, September, 1S80, after the suits brought in America, 
when I stated the fact to the Fletchers. Madam Hart-Davies 
went to France near the end of 1879, and returned to England 
in the spring, when she resided with the Fletchers, and in the 
summer came with them to America; and under the influence 
of others, whose enmity to the Fletchers has been acknowl- 
edged, she instituted legal proceedings against them, which 
were discontinued, and the Fletchers honorably discharged. 
A cross-suit had been instituted against Mrs. Hart-Davies and 
James McGeary, which was postponed for a settlement, when 
both defendants fled the country, and swore out a warrant 
against the Fletchers in England. On learning this, Mrs. 
Fletcher left for England, and, as she expected, was arrested 
on the steamer on which she took passage to Greenock, and 
subsequently tried upon an indictment in which I was in- 
cluded, apparently for no other reason than to deprive her of 
my testimony as a witness. 

"I state from my absolute knowledge, that the evidence 
given by Mrs. Hart-Davies, the sole witness on whom the 
whole case rested, was a tissue of false statements. Had her 
evidence been investigated, and her true character known, 
her words would not have had the slightest weight with judge 
or jury. 

"The clever device, or drag-net indictment, which closed 
my mouth, though I was in England at the time, only shows 
the weakness of her position. The ignoring of the testimony 
as to character, of the fact of Mrs. Fletchers coming across the 
ocean to meet her trial, and the ruling-out of all evidence of 
the truth of Spiritualism, show that the Court was prejudiced 
against the prisoner. Could I have spoken at the time, I could 
have convinced any fair-minded man that Mrs. Hart-Davies 



272 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

was inspired by an insane jealousy on the one hand, and on 
the other influenced by enemies of the Fletchers. 

" I am ready at all times to testify that Madam*Hart-Davies 
sought the assistance and protection of the Fletchers; that she 
forced her gifts upon them on the pretext that she was friend- 
less, but with an ulterior purpose ; that, when defeated in this, 
she sought to be revenged." 

I give this letter of Mr. Morton, which he has sol- 
emnly confirmed hi the following sworn and legally 
certified affidavits, containing some of the testimony 
which should have been given in court, but which the 
government, the "crown" of a clement and merci- 
ful queen, was made, by her officers acting in her 
name, — " Begina versus Fletchers and Morton ," — to 
unjustly and tyrannously exclude. 

In the matter of Mrs. Juliet Anne Theodora Hart-Davies 
versus Mr. J. W. Fletcher and Mrs. Susan Willis 
Fletcher, now pending in Bow Street Police-Court, Lon- 
don, Eng. 

I, Francis T. Morton of Boston, Mass., U.S.A., hereby de- 
pose and say, That the statement made by Mr. S. B. Abrahams 
on the 3d of December, A.D. 1880, at Bow Street Police-Court, 
to wit, That I influenced Mrs. Hart-Davies in the making of 
a certain will dated Oct. 23, 1879, either by word, action, or in 
any other manner whatsoever, is absolutely untrue in each and 
every particular. 

That the statement that I have ever at any time been or 
acted as "private secretary to J. W. Fletcher" is devoid of 
truth. 



THE OTHER SIDE. 273 

That the statement, that in coming over to America Mr. 
Fletcher, Mrs. Hart-Davies, and a lady went one way, and 
Mrs. Fletcher and Mr. Morton another way, is equally untrue. 

I further depose and say, That Mrs. Fletcher was not a pas- 
senger on the steamer which brought me to America in Sep- 
tember, 1880, and that Mrs. Fletcher was not in England when 
I left there, but was in America. 

I further depose and say, That I have good reason to believe 
that Mr. S. B. Abrahams and his client, in making the above 
statements, and in saying that I was in the abode of free- 
lovers, and that I was a disciple of free-love, did so for the 
sole purpose of maliciously assailing my character and good 
name and that of others, both in open court and through the 
press, and that of my family and friends, not only here, but in 
England as well. And I regard it as a duty that some correct- 
ing statement should be made, not only on my own account, 
but that these public slanderers be prevented from doing 
further injury in future, and this high-handed injustice be 
hunted down. 

I further depose and say, That upon my return to London 
from the seashore, in the month pf August, A.D. 1879, Mrs. 
Hart-Davies requested and obtained an interview with me in 
my study, at No. 22 Gordon Street, Gordon Square, where I 
was then living; and after alluding to the relations existing 
between herself and husband, of his and her solicitors, of her 
trustees, and of her aunt, from whom she derived her only 
income of three hundred pounds per annum, she said sub- 
stantially these words, "I have not one friend in this world 
whom I can trust, and to whom I can go for advice and assist- 
ance. Will you give me counsel and advice?" I answered 
that I was not conversant with English practice, and could not 
in any way be mixed up in her affairs, and thereupon advised 



274 TWELVE MONTHS IX PRISON. 

her to go to some responsible firm of solicitors, who would see 
that she was protected in her rights if they had been in any 
manner infringed upon. She replied, that she knew of no soli- 
citors, and had no friends who could or would give her such 
introduction, and again asked for my assistance and advice, 
and thereupon declared her purpose to make a conveyance of 
certain property, and stated in most unmistakable language 
the subject-matter contained in a certain deed of gift dated 
Aug. 25, 1879, and which after signing, she requested me to 
sign my name as a witness thereto, and which I accordingly 
did. The schedule of certain property therein referred to was 
never given nor annexed to the said deed of gift, although so 
intended by Mrs. Hart-Davies on Aug. 26, 1879. Before sub- 
scribing my name as a witness to this deed of gift, I asked 
Mrs. Hart-Davies why she had made this conveyance to Mrs. 
Fletcher, and if she had given the matter careful considera- 
tion, and whether she had been influenced by any one in 
making this conveyance. To which she replied, that no per- 
sons, either spirits or mortals, had at any time, or in any man- 
ner whatever, influenced her in making this conveyance. That 
Mrs. Fletcher was the best and truest friend she had in the 
world ; that she had by her kindness saved her life when she 
was friendless, and knew not which way to turn ; that she had 
no relatives other than a brother, who was living in South 
America, and could take care of himself; and that she wished 
to leave this property to Mrs. Fletcher, and was determined 
the property should go to no one else. I said I doubted very 
much if Mrs. Fletcher would allow her to do so. Mrs. Hart- 
Davies replied, that she did not expect to live a great while 
longer, and that there was no one else to whom she wished to 
leave her property. The statement of Mrs. Hart-Davies, or 
that of her counsel, that I at any time, or in any manner what- 



THE OTHER SIDE. 275 

soever, influenced her, either directly or indirectly, to make the 
said conveyance above referred to, is a base and malicious 
falsehood, and as outrageous and villanous as it is false. 

I further depose and say, That in the following month of 
October Mrs. Hart-Davies came to me and declared her pur- 
pose of making a will, and not only asked, but begged, my 
assistance in so doing. I replied, that, while I would cheerfully 
assist as far as I could, I was not familiar with the require- 
ments of the English practice in such matters ; that in a mat- 
ter of this nature she ought to go to a good solicitor, who 
would see that whatever she did would be rightly and properly 
done, and suggested that the trustees would probably know of 
some reliable solicitors. She said, " No, I don't wish to ask my 
trustees for any thing;" and then asked me if I would take 
the responsibility of introducing her to some solicitors whom 
I might know ; that she would be under lasting obligations. 

I further depose and say, That I did subsequently introduce 
Mrs. Hart-Davies to one of the most respectable firms of soli- 
citors I knew of in London (and this upon her urgent solici- 
tation, and from no desire of my own), to whom she stated 
her case in terms and language that admitted of no doubt 
as to her motives, intentions, and purposes; that she subse- 
quently gave or sent to the said solicitors a "will," written 
in her own handwriting, in order (as she said) that there might 
be no question as to her intentions, and to prevent the possi- 
bility of future litigation, the original draught of which, I 
presume and trust, is still in existence. The solicitors in ques- 
tion declined at first to have any thing to do with her matters, 
in view of her having previously employed other solicitors, 
and the uncertain condition of her affairs, but subsequently 
were kind enough to act as her solicitors. The introduction 
was made by me in good faith ; which good faith, on her part, 



276 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

has been most shamefully violated. It was made at great per- 
sonal inconvenience, and with intent to wrong no one, but to 
help this woman, Mrs. Hart-Davies, who came to me repre- 
senting that she was persecuted and wronged. And the state- 
ment made by her or her counsel, that I either influenced 
her in the making of any will, or conspired with any person 
or persons whatsoever in so doing, is a most infamous false- 
hood, and without a semblance or shadow of truth, calculated 
to deceive the Court, and poison the mind of the public before 
a reply thereto could be made, and its falsity be proved. 

I further depose and say, That I have always regarded Mrs. 
Hart-Davies' s interviews as a professional matter, and until 
September, 1880 (after Mrs. Hart-Davies had brought her suit 
in this country [America]), have never spoken of the will to 
any person or persons whatsoever, in England or elsewhere 
(other than to her solicitors), either directly or indirectly. 
And furthermore, to be more explicit, I never had a word of 
conversation with J. W. Fletcher, or Susie Willis Fletcher, 
about the subject-matter of this or any other will, until Sep- 
tember, 1880. Nor did Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher ever consult 
with me as to the making of the said will, or of any codicil, 
or of any solicitors in connection therewith, in behalf of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, or any other person or persons. And, further- 
more, Mrs. Hart-Davies stated to me in the most positive 
terms, that she had not been influenced by any one, either 
spirits or mortals, in the making of, or in her purpose of 
making, the said will, or in the making of any will whatso- 
ever. And the statement of Mrs. Hart-Davies or her solicit- 
ors, that J. W. Fletcher or Susie Willis Fletcher conspired 
with me, or I with them, to influence in any manner what- 
soever, or to induce Mrs. Hart-Davies to make this or any 
other will, is a most contemptible and outrageous falsehood, — 



THE OTHER SIDE. 277 

a statement which she failed to make, and dared not make, in 
the suit she brought in this country in August, A.D. 18S0 
(and quite similar to that now pending in London^ and in 
which she was non-suited, having fled the country before it 
was tried, and without the knowledge of her counsel, as the 
records of the court will show. 

I further depose and say, That between the first and twelfth 
day of June, A D. 1880, and on two different occasions, Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, after stating that she was about to visit America, 
asked me to draw up a paper which she might take with her 
to America, the better to protect herself and Mrs. Fletcher in 
the property she intended to take over with her. I told her 
she should consult her solicitor in London, or her lawyer in 
New York on her arrival there, and did not draw up the paper 
as requested. 

I further depose and say, That from the first Mrs. Hart- 
Davies came to me, not only of her own accord, but quite 
unsolicited; that I gave her the best advice, counsel, and 
assistance in my power; that I have never asked nor re- 
ceived one farthing from her for any services rendered her; 
and that, up to within two days of her leaving London for 
America, she expressed her gratitude to me for such kindness 
in terms of confidence and respect. 

I further depose and say, That the attempt of Mrs. Hart- 
Davies and her advisers to injure my character and standing 
in the courts and through the press, both socially and at the 
bar, not only in this country, but in England and on the Con- 
tinent, whether to serve her own purposes, or for any other 
reason, is without cause or justification. 

The purpose of this statement is to hunt down and punish 
injustice whenever and wherever found. And, the better to 



278 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

serve this purpose, I forward herewith certified certificates as 
to my standing in the courts of this State, and other papers 
as to my character in this community. 

FRANCIS T. MORTON. 

Counsellor-at-Law. 
40 Simmons Buildings, Boston, Mass., U.S.A., 
Dec. 27, A.D. 1880. 

This affidavit was duly certified by a notary-public 
and the British vice-consul. 

These are the facts known to Mr. Morton, which 
should have been placed before the jury, strengthened 
and confirmed by ever so rigorous a cross-examina- 
tion. 

My next witness should have been Capt. Canute 
Lindmark, my Swedish friend, who had been, long 
before he knew me, an intimate acquaintance of the 
prosecutrix, on whose testimony, as Mr. Justice Haw- 
kins told the jury, the whole fabric of the prosecution 
rested. ' It was therefore of great importance that 
there should be some witness who knew the character 
of this woman, and who could testify as to her rela- 
tions to us. Capt. Lindmark had been introduced to 
us by Mrs. Hart-Davies as her friend. He visited us 
often in London : he accompanied us on our visit to 
America, having also business of his own ; and, next 
to Mr. Morton, he knew more of the facts than any 
other person. Moreover, he was not and is not a 



THE OTHER SIDE. 279 

Spiritualist: so that in every way he was a most im- 
portant witness. 

I do not know why he was not called. I know that 
my solicitor, Mr. Lewis, who prepared my defence, 
wished to call him and many other witnesses, and that 
not one, except witnesses as to character, was called 
by Mr. Addison, and that this action was without my 
knowledge or desire. 

I copy the following affidavit of Capt. Lindmark 
from a memorial to the home secretary, by T. L. 
Nichols, M.D. 

The Declaration of Capt. Canute Lixdmaek in matters 
concerning Mrs. Susan Willis Fletcher, a prisoner in 
London. 

I am late captain of the Royal Swedish Engineers, and at 
present engaged as consulting engineer and shareholder in 
various industrial undertakings. 

I made the acquaintance of Mrs. Hart-Davies in Buenos 
Ayres, about the year 1S72. She was then married to a gentle- 
man named Packard, who for some time was employed by the 
Argentine Government as inspector of mines. I was at the 
time vice-director of the engineering department of the Argen- 
tine Republic, and chief engineer of the public works. I also 
know Mrs. Davies's brother (who, married to an Argentine 
lady, is living in Buenos Ayres), her second husband, and her 
pretended aunt, Mrs. Sampson; and I was personally ac- 
quainted with Mr. Sampson, the late editor of the '* Times," 
whom she always represented to me as her mother's brother. 



280 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Her mother, Mrs. Heurtley, I saw only once, when living at 
Hampton Court with Mr. Sampson. As regards her father, 
I understand that it is not known whether he is living or dead. 
He was a quack-doctor, who, leaving his wife, went to America 
years ago. 

Soon after I had made Mrs. Rickard's acquaintance, she 
made me her confidant, describing how much she had suffered, 
and how badly she now was treated, not only by her husband 
(who needed to go away travelling) leaving her alone in Buenos 
Ayres without protection, and sometimes without sufficient 
money to subsist on, but also by her own mother, who had 
forced her to marry Mr. Rickard, whom she never loved, and 
now would not allow her to return to London. Believing her 
statements to be true, I felt pity for her, and gave her what 
assistance I could afford. On several occasions I advanced her 
money ; and in 1873, when her husband was away in Europe, 
and her health was very bad, I took her to the mountains, 
distant four hundred miles from Buenos Ayres, in order that 
she might improve by the change of air. This step, however, 
I afterwards regretted; because, instead of getting strong, she 
rather grew weaker. Nevertheless, and in spite of my earnest 
protestations to the contrary, Mrs. Rickard from that time 
always used to speak of me as the savior of her life. 

In 1ST4 Mr. Rickard came back to River Plate to take his 
wife and son over to England, where he had determined to 
settle. They all landed at Liverpool about the month of June 
of the same year. There Mr. Rickard left his wife, and together 
with his son went to London, where he immediately instituted 
proceedings against her for adultery, committed on board the 
steamer, with an Italian named Amadeo. The proofs being 
convincing, her mother, Mrs. Heurtley, in order to avoid scan- 
dal, suggested to her not to dispute the charge ; and thus the 



THE OTHER SIDE. 281 

divorce was granted. "When Mrs. Rickard came to London, 
neither Mrs. Heurtley nor Mr. Sampson would see her; and 
she was obliged to go and live with strangers. But Mrs. 
Heurtley would not even allow her daughter to live in the 
same country where she lived; and thus Mrs. Rickard was 
obliged, after some months, to leave England, and settle in 
Tours in France. 

When these events took place, I was in London, having been 
commissioned by the Argentine Government to inspect some 
railway materials; and during that time, and also afterwards, 
Mrs. Rickard used to write to me about her private affairs. 
Soon after, I returned to River Plate, which country I left in 
1S76 to settle in Sweden. On my way home I visited Mrs. 
Rickard in Tours, and found her occupying a small bedroom 
in one of the hotels, evidently in a very poor condition. She 
complained to me bitterly, that her mother not only kept her 
in exile, but refused to give her sufficient to live on. her yearly 
allowance being only one hundred and fifty pounds. More- 
over, this allowance was paid only to herself in person at Tours 
in small instalments, so that she could not go and live any- 
where else. 

The following year Mrs. Heurtley and Mr. Sampson both 
died, and then Mrs. Rickard was not prevented from returning 
to England. 

Mrs. Rickard had often stated to me that her mother was 
very rich, having a yearly income of from nine thousand to 
twelve thousand pounds; and on the death of her mother and 
uncle she wrote to me from France, stating that she and her 
brother had inherited all their property. She also informed me 
that she already had had three offers of marriage, but refused 
them all. In reply, I wrote to her, that, in my opinion, the 
best thing she could do, under the present circumstances, was 



282 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

to marry again; and some time after she engaged herself to 
Mr. Hart-Davies. 

Returning from France, Mrs. Rickard went to live with Mrs. 
Sampson at Hampton Court. There I visited her twice, — once 
before her marriage with Mr. Hart-Davies, and on^ce after." 
She told me that she had married Mr. Davies, not because she 
loved him, but out of pity, seeing how deeply attached he was 
to her. She meant to use her influence over him to improve 
his mind, and raise him from the low position he had formerly 
occupied. Speaking of her trustees, she said that they would 
not give her any money, and insinuated that they systemati- 
cally robbed her. 

Again, in the autumn of 1879, 1 came to London on business, 
and went to see Mrs. Hart-Davies, who was then living with 
her husband at Yernon Place. I found her in a state of great 
excitement. She told me that she was most unhappy. Her 
husband was a drunkard, who would do no work, and only 
wanted to live on her money. She had been obliged to move 
from Farquhar Lodge, where they lived before, to London; 
because she had noticed that her husband intentionally left 
her without medical assistance when she was very ill, thus 
endangering her life. While I was sitting in the drawing- 
room with Mrs. Davies, her husband came home, and, without 
entering the drawing-room, passed up stairs to his own private 
apartments, I then saw Mrs. Davies on his approach become 
very agitated, seemingly tiembling with fear. Upon that she 
began to speak of her new friends, the Fletchers, who had been 
very good to her during this time of unhappiness, and asked 
if I Would not allow her to introduce me to them. I replied 
that it was hardly possible, as I was going to Sweden in a 
couple of days, and my time was very much engaged. But 
finally, on her insisting, I consented; and on the following 



THE OTHER SIDE. 283 

evening I accompanied her to their house at 22 Gordon 
Street. 

On our way home. Mrs. Hart-Davies said that her hope was 
to come and live with the Fletchers, and that she would do 
every thing in her power to become a member of their family. 
I got rather surprised at this statement, and did my best to 
show her the imprudence of such a step. " The Fletchers," 
I said, "have both of them impressed me very favorably; but 
they are Xorth-Americans and Spiritualists, and as such it 
would not be advisable to place your future in their hands.'' 
She replied, that she was sorry to see that I shared the common 
prejudice of the English people; that the Fletchers' house was 
frequented by the very best people in London, and that she 
herself had seen the Princess of Wales come and pay them a 
visit. In fact, she would not at all listen to my advice, but 
continued to speak of the Fletchers in the most enthusiastic 
terms. Soon, however, I found that Mr. Fletcher was the 
principal, if not the sole, object of her admiration. Indeed, 
neither on this occasion nor afterwards, did Mrs. Davies, 
speaking of Mrs. Fletcher alone, represent her friend in a 
favorable light: on the contrary, she described Mrs. Fletcher 
to me as a cold-natured woman, devoid of the natural feelings 
of her sex. 

I returned to Sweden the following day or the next. After 
my arrival in Sweden, I received a letter from Mrs. Davies 
requesting me to lend her five hundred pounds in order to 
defray the expenses of her intended voyage to France. This 
money, however, I declined to advance her. 

In the beginning of last year I returned to England ; and, six 
or seven weeks after my arrival in London, I went to see the 
Fletchers. They informed me that Mrs. Hart-Davies was 
going to live with them after her return from France, and that 



284 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

they expected her in a month's time. Mrs. Davies had solicited 
their protection, because she found it impossible to stay any 
longer with her husband, and because her aunt, Mrs. Sampson, 
would not receive her in her house. 

In May Mrs. Davies arrived from France, taking up her 
abode with the Fletchers. I now visited their house frequent- 
ly; and, being an old friend of Mrs. Davies, I also became in- 
timate with Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. Mrs. Hart-Davies availed 
herself of the first opportunity to explain to me more fully the 
reasons why she had left her husband. Mr. Davies, she said, 
had after their marriage endeavored to impress upon her the 
necessity of making a will, and one day, while they were living 
at Farquhar Lodge, he brought with him from London two 
men whom she did not know, but who were introduced to her 
as solicitors. They laid before her a document, which she 
found to be a will in favor of her husband, and which they 
forced her to sign. After this she began to suspect her hus- 
band of entertaining plans against her life, and said she had 
once discovered him bringing a glass of port wine that was 
poisoned ; and that, not succeeding in poisoning her, Mr. 
Davies had taken measures to have her shut up in a lunatic- 
asylum, and for several days she saw men of suspicious appear- 
ance strolling about her house at Yernon Place. It was then 
she secretly left her husband, and went to France without 
letting him know her address. 

All these incidents Mrs. Davies related to me in full details, 
and with such an air of conviction that for some time I 
believed her. Afterwards, however, I found, from what her 
husband, and her trustee Mr. Burrows, told me, that her story 
was false from beginning to end. At Farquhar Lodge she had 
really made a will in favor of her husband; but it was made 
entirely of her own accord, and without her husband interfer- 



THE OTHER SIDE. 285 

ing at all. This will she soon after cancelled. The Rev. Mr. 
Burrows, a trustee of Mrs. Davies, was under the impression 
that she never gave her husband any money. "Mr. Davies 
[he said] possessed before marrying a little capital of his own; 
and that capital, together with a considerable sum which his 
brother had advanced him, was spent in sustaining the house." 
When Mr. Davies could not procure any more money, his wife 
left him. 

I asked Mrs. Hart-Davies if her husband, knowing that she 
lived with the Fletchers, could not compel her to come back to 
his house. She answered, that he would not dare to do such a 
thing; because he knew, that, the moment he evinced such an 
intention, she would petition for a divorce on the ground of his 
physical failing. In fact, he never made the slightest attempt 
to induce his wife to return. 

With regard to her trustees, Mrs. Davies used still more 
abusive language than before; declaring it was her intention to 
bring them up before the Court of Chancery as soon as she 
could procure sufficient money to pay the law-expenses. 

Mrs. Davies had not been a fortnight with the Fletchers 
before she commenced to reveal her true character. Finding 
her intentions frustrated with regard to Mr. Fletcher, who, she 
saw, loved and respected his wife too much to be more than a 
friend and brother to her, she suddenly changed, from the pure 
and suffering victim she had artfully represented herself to be 
to the Fletchers, to a jealous and capricious woman. 

When I saw how disagreeable she made herself to her hosts, 
and that neither of them was capable of pacifying her bad 
temper, I one day, in a private conversation, expressed to her 
my surprise at her strange conduct, which appeared to me the 
more inexplicable as she was treated with the greatest kind- 
ness. She interrupted me, saying, " They ought to be kind to 



286 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

me. I have shared with them my worldly goods, and even 
made a will in their favor. But that, of course, I can all can- 
cel to-morrow if I like," she added ; and with these words she 
left me. When I next saw Mrs. Fletcher, I asked her if Mrs. 
Davies had made a will in her favor; to which she answered, 
"No.'? — "But she herself told me so," I said. " Then, she 
has done so without our knowledge," Mrs. Fletcher replied. 
" The only document I know of is a deed of gift, by which she 
made over to us the things she brought to the house, so as to 
prevent her husband from claiming them." Thinking that 
Mrs. Davies, using the word " will," had really meant the deed 
of gift, I did not inquire any further into the matter. 

Mrs. Fletcher, although she occasionally wore Mrs. Hart- 
Davies's jewelry, and had some old china and crystals belong- 
ing to Mrs. Davies in her drawing-room, did never, to my 
knowledge, pretend that these things were her own. In fact, 
one day, when Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Hart-Davies, and myself 
were sitting in the back drawing-room, Mrs. Fletcher, pointing 
at various things, said to me, "Nearly all these dainty things 
you see in this room belong to Juliet." 

Mrs. Davies' s extraordinary conduct, as also the fact that 
none of the many old friends she pretended to have in London 
came to visit her after her return from France, greatly aston- 
ished Mr. Fletcher, and caused him to make inquiries about 
her former life, of which she evidently had given him quite 
an erroneous idea. One afternoon, when I happened to be 
alone in the drawing-room, Mrs. Davies entered in a very 
agitated state. Throwing herself on the sofa, she began to cry 
hysterically. " Willie has made me confess," she said; " and 
now he despises me." 

Indeed, after this it seems to have become clear to the 
Fletchers that Mrs. Davies could not continue to be an inmate 



THE OTHER SIDE. 287 

of their house, but that she must sooner or later leave them. 
On one occasion I was present when Mrs. Davies began to com- 
plain, as she often used to do, to Mrs. Fletcher of the coldness of 
her husband. " He is my brother," she said ; " and as such he 
ought to be more kind to me than he is: now he scarcely 
notices me." And so she went on, till at last Mrs. Fletcher, 
growing angry, told her plainly, that, if she was not satisfied 
with her husband, she had better take her things, and leave 
the house at once; upon which Mrs. Davies had a hysterical 
attack, and then asked Mrs. Fletcher's pardon. 

In the mean time I returned to Sweden, having previously 
agreed to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher on their voyage to 
America, which country I intended to visit for the purpose 
of inspecting certain manufacturing establishments. Conse- 
quently, I returned to England towards the end of July, when 
we all left for America, Mrs. Davies and Miss Spencer being 
also of the party. 

On board the steamer, Mrs. Davies became so conspicuous 
for her imprudent behavior, remaining on deck till late in the 
night, after all the other lady-passengers had retired, that I felt 
bound to signify to Mr. Fletcher, that, for the decorum of 
the party, he should compel Mrs. Davies to conduct herself 
properly. In this he succeeded, but only after threatening to 
separate her from the party, and send her back by the return- 
ing steamer to England. 

We disembarked at New York, and went from there to a 
Spiritualistic camp-meeting at a place called Lake Pleasant, 
not far from Boston. At this meeting were also two men, both 
Spiritualists, of whom Mrs. Fletcher had on several occasions 
spoken to me as her bitterest enemies: they had come over 
from England only a few days before us. One of them calls 
himself Dr. Mack, and the name of the other is Rondi. The 
latter is an Italian artist. 



288 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

With these men, whom Mrs. Fletcher did not even recognize 
at the camp, and of whom at least Dr. Mack was entirely 
unknown to Mrs. Davies, she immediately formed intimate 
relations; and, in concert with them, the plan to defame the 
Fletchers was conceived, which afterwards was so successfully 
carried out. About a week after our arrival at the camp- 
meeting, Mrs. Davies told me that she was going to spend a 
few days at the watering-place, Saratoga, with an American 
family whose acquaintance she had just made, but that she 
would be back soon. She then left the camp, taking scarcely 
any luggage with her. But, instead of going to Saratoga, she 
went with her two friends, Dr. Mack and Kondi, to a village 
in the neighborhood. There they got a search-warrant; and 
provided with this, and a power-of-attorney from Mrs. Davies, 
Dr. Mack presented himself at Lake Pleasant to recover Mrs. 
Davies' s stolen property from the Fletchers. I did not then 
know that there had been any difficulties whatever* between 
the Fletchers and Mrs. Hart-Davies with regard to her prop- 
erty, nor do I believe that there ever existed any. I had heard 
Mrs. Fletcher say to her husband, shortly after Mrs. Davies 
had left the camp, "I asked her to take her things with her; 
hut she would not, saying that she intended to come back in a 
few days." Consequently, I thought Mrs. Davies' s behavior 
atrocious, and advised the Fletchers not to give up the prop- 
erty to Dr. Mack. However, they did not follow my advice: 
so he got the things. It seems natural, if there had actually 
been any dispute about her jewelry and other things, that Mrs. 
Davies should have addressed herself to me, her old friend, 
who on various occasions before had assisted her, instead of 
having recourse to two strangers, whom she, moreover, knew 
to be enemies of the Fletchers; but on that subject she never 
said a word to me. 



THE OTHER SIDE. 289 

From Lake Pleasant, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, Miss Spencer, 
and I went to Boston. Dr. Mack, Mr. Rondi, and Mrs. Davies 
also went there. There they got a new search-warrant, claim- 
ing part of Mrs. Davies" s property that was left in the Fletchers' 
house in London, such as a string of Oriental pearls, etc., 
mentioned during the trial. Dr. Mack and Mrs. Davies, accom- 
panied by detectives, came to the house where we lived between 
three and four m the afternoon, and had the house ransacked. 
Some linen clothes belonging to Mrs. Davies being found in 
Mrs. Fletchers trunk, they on that account arrested Mrs. 
Fletcher; and as they had fixed the bail at the enormous sum 
of ten thousand pounds, which of course could not be pro- 
cured in the afternoon, she was obliged to go to prison. The 
following morning the judge released her on a bail of only 
three hundred pounds. Mr. Fletcher was out of Boston at 
the time, and was not imprisoned. Mrs. Davies also caused 
my trunks to be searched, evidently in hopes of finding some 
of her things amongst mine, which would have given her an 
opportunity of implicating me in the affair. 

The reporters of the newspapers being now invited to inter- 
view Mrs. Davies, she told them the most extraordinary stories 
about herself and the Fletchers, which afterwards circulated 
through the whole American press; numerous copies being 
also sent by Mrs. Davies and her associates to Mr. and Mrs. 
Fletchers friends in England. She there represented herself 
to be a high-born young lady, and very rich, and stated that 
the property alone which she had recovered from the Fletchers 
at Lake Pleasant was worth sixteen thousand pounds. As for 
the Fletchers, there is not an infamy with which she did not 
charge them. 

When the case was brought before the Police-Court in Bos- 
ton, it was at first postponed in order to allow the Fletchers to 



290 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

get over from London certain documents referring to the trans- 
fer of Mrs. Davies' s property. Before they arrived, I asked Mr. 
Fletcher about their contents. " I cannot tell you," he an- 
swered. " I never saw them ; and I do not know whether there 
are two, or only one." I then put the same question to Mrs. 
Fletcher, and her lawyer also asked her; but neither could she 
tell. u There is a deed of gift," she said, " which Mrs. Davies 
made in our favor before she went to France; but I cannot 
remember what it contains. It was read to me only once; and 
then I remember to have remarked that a clause must be put 
in explaining that she made it entirely of her own accord, and 
free fromany influence of others." 

After the arrival of the documents, the case was again post- 
poned for about six weeks* because a settlement had been 
offered and accepted, by which Mrs. Davies was to pay the 
Fletchers compensation for all their trouble. Mrs. Davies, 
however, instead of carrying the agreement into effect, escaped 
with Dr. Mack to England, while the Fletchers were detained 
in Boston to answer the charge at the next hearing before the 
Police-Court. 

In October I returned to Europe. Before leaving Boston, 
Mrs. Fletcher asked me, when I arrived in London, to go to 
their house, and have all their letters from Mrs. Davies col- 
lected and secured. " These letters," she added, " are of the 
greatest importance in case of any future complications; as 
they show how Mrs. Davies came to live with us, and make 
out the deed of gift." Accordingly, the very day I arrived in 
London, I went to 22 Gordon Street, where I was received by 
Mrs. and Miss Maltby and Miss Gay, who were taking care of 
the house during the Fletchers' absence. On inquiring about 
the letters, I was told that Mrs. Davies and Dr. Mack, accom- 
panied by Mr. Abrahams and a detective, had, eight days 



THE OTHER SIDE. 291 

before my arrival, forced themselves into the house, and ran- 
sacked it from the top down to the cellar. Mrs. Davies had 
taken away, not only what belonged to her, but also a quantity 
of things which they knew belonged to the Fletchers, as well 
as their private letters and other papers. " Then," I said, 
M there is no use for me to look for Mrs. Davies* s letters." To 
which Miss Gay replied, "After they had gone, there was not 
a letter of hers left in the house, except one, which I found in 
one of the bedrooms, and which I afterwards sent to Mrs. 
Fletcher." I was also told that Mrs. Davies, after coming back 
from America, had been calling on numbers of people whose 
acquaintance she had made in the Fletchers' house, calumniat- 
ing them in every imaginable way. Amongst other stories she 
told was, that the Fletchers had tried to poison her both in 
London and America. In this laudable occupation she seems 
to have been faithfully assisted by her two associates. 

I now went to call on Mrs. Davies' s trustee, the Rev. Mr. 
Burrows, at Hampton, to request him to see Mrs. Davies, and 
prevent her from creating any further scandal. He answered, 
that he had not seen Mrs. Davies siuce she had come home 
from America. She had written to him, asking him to visit 
her; but he would not go, because he considered her such a 
bad and "dangerous woman," who by her slander might 
damage his reputation as a clergyman. He considered the 
Fletchers respectable people, and believed them entirely inno- 
cent of the crimes charged in Mrs. Davies' s vile accusations. 
"If anybody has been deceived in this affair," he said, "it is 
not Mrs. Davies. She is too shrewd and clever a woman to be 
duped in such a coarse manner as she pretends." Moreover, 
he told me he suspected that jealousy was at the bottom of the 
whole affair, and asked me if Mrs. Davies had not been Mr. 
Fletchers mistress. With regard to me, he said that Mrs. 



292 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Hart-Davies had felt greatly disappointed because I did not 
make her an offer of marriage when I visited Hampton Court, 
soon after the death of her mother and Mr. Sampson. 

Speaking of Mrs. Davies's property, he said that the only 
thing of value that she brought to the Fletchers' house did 
not belong to her, but to the trustees, and that her own prop- 
erty was worth nothing to speak of. I told him that he must 
be mistaken; as I myself had seen some jewelry of consider- 
able value that formerly belonged to Mrs. Heurtley, and now 
was in her daughter's possession. Mr. Burrows looked rather 
surprised at this statement, and wondered how her possession 
of these things could have been kept a secret from him. I 
also visited Mrs. Sampson, who was living at Sandgate. She 
stated to me, that she delivered up to Mrs. Davies her mother's 
jewels and wardrobe when she came back to England, after 
Mrs. Heurtley's and Mr. Sampson's death. 

When Mrs. Fletcher was brought up before the Police-Court 
in Bow Street, Mrs. Davies represented herself, through Mr. 
Abrahams, as a lady of great wealth and of high social posi- 
tion and moral character, while she charged Mrs. Fletcher with 
defrauding, stealing, attempts at poisoning, and keeping a free- 
love establishment. Knowing that all these vile accusations 
were utterly false, and that I myself, by my attentions to Mrs. 
Fletcher, had contributed to awaken Mrs. Davies's jealousy and 
hatred, and that Mrs. Fletcher, after having been robbed of all 
her letters and other papers, was left without any means of 
defence against an unscrupulous enemy, whose evidence, ac- 
cording to English law, would be valid before the Court, I 
thought it my duty, in order to save a person in my opinion 
unjustly accused, to deliver up to Mrs. Fletcher's solicitor cer- 
tain letters, which, written by Mrs. Davies, and showing her 
true character, would to a great extent invalidate her testi- 



THE OTHER SIDE. 293 

mony. These letters were not admitted as evidence before the 
Court, and consequently Mrs. Davies remained to the end of 
the trial, in the eyes of the judge and the jury, the pure and 
victimized woman she represented herself to be. And, as might 
be supposed from the nature of her character, she did not hesi- 
tate to make the gravest misstatements in her evidence before 
the Central Criminal Court, so as to get the object of her hatred 
convicted. To my knowledge she perjured herself when stat- 
ing— 

1st, About her relations to me. 

2d, That she was not guilty of the adultery on account of 
which her first husband obtained a divorce. 

3d, That she always lived on the best terms with her mother, 
— a statement sufficiently contradicted by the fact admitted at 
the trial ; namely, that, during several years before her mother's 
death, she (Mrs. Hart -Davies) was not allowed to see her. 

4th, That Mrs. Heurtley during her lifetime gave her the 
jewels and other things which Mrs. Davies herself values at 
ten thousand pounds, and which she accused the Fletchers of 
obtaining from her by false pretences. This statement Mrs. 
Sampson contradicted to me as above mentioned : she allowed 
Mrs. Hart-Davies to take possession of her mother's jewels and 
wardrobe after the death of Mrs. Heurtley and Mr. Sampson. 
Mrs. Davies, consequently, had already committed perjury be- 
fore the Probate Court, when she stated that the property she' 
took from Hampton Court was worth only a hundred pounds. 

5th, That she never told anybody that her husband tried to 
poison her. 

- 6th, That she never spoke of her trustees in abusive 
terms. 

7th, That she never pretended to be a Spiritualistic medium^ 
On several occasions she spoke to me of her mediumship, and 



294 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that she was in constant communication with her deceased 
mother. 

8th, That she did not take away any letters when she and 
Dr. Mack, on their return from America, ransacked Mr. 
Fletcher's house in Gordon Street. 

9th, That she only loved Mr. Fletcher as a brother. 

When I first made Mrs. Davies's acquaintance in Buenos 
Ayres, she wanted me, too, to be her brother; yet her feelings 
to me had nothing of a sister's. Mrs. Hart-Davies is naturally 
a woman of great intelligence and penetrating mind, which 
qualities are further enhanced by a good education, and travels 
in foreign countries. She speaks French and Spanish tolerably 
well, is clever at drawing, and writes both prose and poetry 
beautifully. Unfortunately, these qualities are neutralized by 
her sensual propensities, which, greatly developed during the 
last few years, not only make her forget her own dignity and 
her family's honor, but cause her to grow nearly insane. To 
gratify her desires in this respect, she is capable of any thing. 
Being infatuated with Mr. Fletcher, she makes him believe 
that she is a fervent Spiritualist and an innocent victim of the 
ill-treatment of her husband, her relations, and her trustees, so 
as to awake his sympathy and pity. Upon that she asks him 
to take care of her property in order to save it from her rapa- 
cious husband and trustees, and thus succeeds in becoming a 
member of his family and circle of friends. At last, seeing 
that all her efforts with regard to Mr. Fletcher had been made 
in vain, she addresses herself to me and others with similar 
intentions. 

Not' gaining her object in any way, she naturally ascribes 
her failure to Mrs. Fletcher, whom she sees admired by every- 
body visiting the house, w T hile she herself is scarcely noticed. 
Her jealousy of Mrs. Fletcher I discovered immediately after 



THE OTHER SIDE. 295 

her coming to live with them; and my conviction is, that she 
never loved Mrs. Fletcher, nor suffered herself to be influenced 
by her, as she stated before the Court. This became so obvious 
to me, that once or twice I warned Mrs. Fletcher, saying I 
believed that Mrs. Hart-Davies hated her. She, however, 
would not believe it. 

With regard to Mrs. Fletcher, I entertain a high opinion 
both of her intellect and moral character, and believe her 
utterly incapable of committing a fraud such as that of which 
she has been convicted, and which has been justly stigmatized 
as one of the coarsest and most clumsy that ever were at- 
tempted. Indeed, I cannot believe that any woman having in 
view to defraud another of her jewels should, on the second 
time they meet, be so stupid as to reveal her intentions in the 
way Mrs. Davies testifies with regard to Mrs. Fletcher, nor 
that there is any woman that could possibly be deceived in 
such a coarse manner. Mrs. Fletcher is a sincere believer in 
Spiritualism, and among Spiritualists she is considered to be 
a powerful medium. However, of her mediumship I cannot 
myself judge; as I never was present at a seance, neither with 
her nor with Mr. Fletcher. But I could not fail to notice 
during the time I frequented her house, and during the voyage 
to America, how with the Fletchers, as with other Spiritualists 
whose acquaintance I made, spiritual communications inter- 
fered even with the most trivial occupations of daily life, at 
the same time that they furnished a constant subject of con- 
versation. Mrs. Fletcher, though fully aware that my opinions 
in this respect entirely differed from hers, would often tell me 
that, she had seen my deceased motheKs spirit, and that it had 
spoken to her; and after I had parted from her in America, 
and gone home to Sweden, she wrote me several letters, in 
which visions of this kind were referred to. 



296 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Contrary to the jury's verdict, I therefore fully believe that 
Mrs. Fletcher, when writing to Mrs. Davies, while in France, 
about her deceased mother, really was convinced that Mrs. 
Heurtley's spirit communicated with her. 
(Signed) 

CANUTE LINDMARK. 

The above affidavit, duly sworn and certified, was 
sent to the home secretary by the Swedish minister. 
It is not in the least probable, however, that he ever 
saw, much less read, it. If he had read a declaration 
so transparently honest, he could not have kept me 
one day longer in the prison I have yet to describe. I 
am sorry that Capt. Lindmark is not a Spiritualist ; 
but a more simple-hearted, honest, and honorable gen- 
tleman, or a truer, more unselfish friend, I have never 
known. He has some of the faults of the heroic 
Scandinavian character ; but he has its virtues as well, 
and one of them is simple, unwavering veracity. But 
the home secretary was too busy making political 
speeches to give any attention to Dr. Nichols's memo- 
rial, and its most important accompanying documents. 

Among these documents were the statements of sev- 
eral persons most intimately acquainted with our life 
at Gordon Street and our relations to Mrs. Hart- 
Davies. One of these, Miss E. S. Gay of Penzance 
House, Cornwall, happened to be at our house when 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, accompanied by Dr. Mack and Mr. 
Abrahams, came and removed whatever property the 



THE OTHER SIDE. 297 

lady claimed to the Bedford Pantechnicon, including 
many articles which had never belonged to her, and 
her part of our correspondence, as has been already 
stated. 

Miss Gay says, — 

"I saw her search the private desk of Mr. Fletcher in the 
dining-room, and remove letters from it, the said desk having 
been previously arranged by me for the sake of convenience, 
in the presence of Miss Maltby, when we both noticed that the 
whole of the letters were addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher; 
and I also noticed that letters which were placed behind the 
mirror had disappeared, by which proceedings Mrs. Hart- 
Davies was enabled to deprive the Fletchers of an important 
part of their defence. On the trial she denied on oath that 
she had even seen any letters. The cellar-door was burst 
open forcibly, and the whole of the wine removed, and the 
house left in confusion. A few days subsequently we heard 
from a person sent from Mr. Abrahams' s office, that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies threatened legal proceedings against the Fletchers. I 
telegraphed the occurrence of her visit to them, and also wrote 
to inform them of the threatened arrest ; which letter was 
received by them before Mrs. Fletcher left Boston to return 
to England, which she said she should do to vindicate her 
character; although we learned from Capt. Lindmark, on his 
return to London on Oct. 31, that she had been very ill from 
the anxiety and injustice she had already experienced. She 
requested me to secure bail, which I did; but before she could 
reach London, she was arrested at Greenock on Dec. 2, and 
her boxes were seized, and private papers, including the agree- 
ment ; which papers have remained in the hands of the prose- 



298 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

cution. Mrs. Fletcher informed me that she had sent copies 
of a Boston daily paper, a copy of which was also forwarded 
to me, notifying her intention of sailing by the steamship 
' Anchoria,' to both Mrs. Hart-Davies and James McGeary." 

Miss Gay is a lady whose social position, character, 
and talents add value to her firm and unvarying friend- 
ship ; and I owe much to her unwearied exertions to 
set this matter before the public in its proper light, 
especially for printing and circulating at her own ex- 
pense an edition of Dr. Nichols's memorial. 

Mrs. Frances Maltby, so well known for her fidelity 
and zeal to all London Spiritualists, and who kindly 
took charge of our house in our absence, makes the 
following statement : — 

" On Oct. 19, 1880, in my temporary absence from 22 Gor- 
don Street, Mrs. Hart-Davies and James McGeary entered the 
house, and on my return I found them and Mr. S. B. Abra- 
hams in possession of it. Mrs. Hart-Davies ransacked the 
house, opening all drawers, boxes, and desks, and searched 
a private desk belonging to Mr. Fletcher, and removed letters 
from it. The cellar-door was forcibly burst open, and the 
house left in confusion, and the property was conveyed to 
the Bedford Pantechnicon. A few days subsequently we heard 
from a person sent from Mr. Abraham s's office, that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies threatened to arrest Mrs. Fletcher, to whom notice was 
at once given." 



THE OTHER SIDE. . 299 

Miss Agnes Maltby, testifying to the same facts of 
the invasion of the house and seizure of the property, 

says, — 

"A few muslin curtains, etc., were found under the mat- 
tress in her own room, which had been placed there for con- ' 
venience. I saw Mrs. Hart-Davies search the private desk 
of Mr. Fletcher, and remove letters irom it. Miss Gay had 
arranged the desk in my presence, and all the letters were 
addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. While Mrs. Hart-Davies 
was in Mrs. Fletcher's room, I overheard James McGeary ask 
her if she had looked for letters and papers, alluding to letters 
which she was selecting from boxes on the table. After she 
had left, I noticed 'letters had disappeared from behind the 
mirrors, etc., where they had been placed. On the trial I 
heard Mrs. Hart-Davies deny on oath that she had even seen 
any letters. The cellar-door was forcibly burst open, and the 
house completely ransacked. After this we heard that Mrs. 
Hart-Davies threatened to arrest Mrs. Fletcher, who was at 
once informed of her intention, and returned to London, as 
stated in letters received from her by us, with the hope of 
obtaining justice and a fair hearing of the case." 

My faithful and intelligent servant, Ellen Partridge, 

says, — 

"I, Ellen Partridge, now residing at 22 Gordon Street, 
entered the service of Mrs. Fletcher in 1879. One day, so far 
as I can recollect in the month of August in that year, Mrs. 
Hart-Davies came to the house with only her hat on, and with 
her dress torn, in an excited and trembling condition. She 



300 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

begged to see Mrs. Fletcher; and I conducted her to the draw- 
ing-room, when she told me her husband had been threatening 
to put her into a lunatic-asylum, and had tried to poison her. 
[Denied on oath by Mrs. Hart-Davies on the trial.] Mrs. 
Fletcher saw her. I mentioned these statements to a fellow- 
.servant, who can state that I did so at the time. 

"I remember many letters arriving from France while Mrs. 
Hart-Davies was in Tours; and I placed some of them behind 
the mirrors in Mrs. Fletcher's bedroom, and in boxes on her 
table. 

" Three or four days before Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher left for 
America, I saw Mrs. Fletcher with Mrs. Hart-Davies in her 
bedroom; and both were looking over the jewelry. I heard 
Mrs. Fletcher propose to Mrs. Hart-Davies that she [Mrs. Hart- 
Davies] should take charge of it herself; which she refused to 
do, saying, that, if she wanted any of it, she could have it, 
as Mrs. Fletcher would have the jewels with her. " 

The statements of these witnesses were carefully 
taken down by my solicitor, and the witnesses were 
in court ready to give testimony. I do not know why 
they were not called, as well as Mr. Bastian and Mr. 
Egiinton. 

Mr. Bastian is, like myself, an American, and well 
known over Europe. Born in Alsace, he speaks Ger- 
man as well as English, and has spent much time in 
Germany and Austria, where he has introduced the 
subject of Spiritualism among the highest nobility. 

Mr. Bastian says, — 



THE OTHER SIDE. 301 

To whom it may coxceex. — I, Harry Bastian of Chicago, 
111., at present residing at 32 Fopstone Road, South Kensing- 
ton, make this declaration : — 

In the month of October, 1880, Mrs. Juliet Anne Theodora 
Hart-Davies called upon me at my then lodgings, No. 2 Vernon. 
Place, Bloomsbury, saying she had heard about ^me in Amer- 
ica, and asked me if I was acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. J. 
W. Fletcher. I said I knew them by reputation. She asked if 
I had heard of the trouble she had had with them in America. 
I replied that I had read about it in the papers, and asked 
her how she came to give them her property. She said that 
Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher had been very kind to her, and that she 
had loved them, and gave them her clothes, lace, and jewels in 
consideration of having a home with them. She said, further, 
that her husband, Mr. Hart-Davies, was intemperate, and abu- 
sive to her; that he was pawning or selling her jewels, and 
had threatened to put her into a lunatic-asylum, and also to 
take her life. Therefore she had gone to live with the Fletch- 
ers, and given them her property. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies further said, they (the Fletchers and her 
self) had lived amicably together until they went together to 
America, where she met with James McGeary, alias Dr. Mack, 
and other persons, who told her that the Fletchers were not 
what she supposed them to be, and advised her to get back 
her property, which was surrendered to her; she, in the set- 
tlement, giving to Mrs. Fletcher certain things to pay for her 
board, passage, and expenses in America. Then she returned 
to London, and went to 22 Gordon Street, and got the rest of 
her property. After this, Mr. W. H. Harrison and others 
advised her to prosecute the Fletchers on the ground that it 
would be a benefit to Spiritualism to get rid of them and 
have them punished; but she said that she did not wish to 



302 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

do them any harm, and did not know what to do about it. 
As I was about leaving England for the Continent, she asked 
me to call on my return upon her. I saw Mrs. Hart-Davies 
next when she appeared against Mrs. Fletcher at Bow Street; 
and she asked me to visit her at her lodgings in Upper Baker 
Street, which I did, when she said that those who were inter- 
ested in the prosecution of Mrs. Fletcher, fearing she would 
drop the case, had got the public prosecutor to take it up. 

(Signed) 

HARRY BASTIAN. 

\ 

Mr. W. Eglinton, an English Spiritualist medium, 

who is well known in the highest Spiritualist circles 
of England, Germany, Austria, America, the Cape of 
Good Hope, and India, and esteemed by those who 
know him as most truthful and honorable, makes the 
following declaration : — 

I, William Eglinton, residing at 32 Fopstone Road, South 
Kensington, am ready to swear to the following facts; viz., 
that in the month of June, 1880, I called at the residence of 
Mr. J. W. Fletcher, 22 Gordon Street, Gordon Square, and 
was introduced to Mrs. Heurtley, whom I have since known as 
Mrs. Hart-Davies. In conversation with her she was enthu- 
siastic in her praise of Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher for their kindness 
to her; and, though I was up to that time an entire stranger to 
her, she informed me, that, in gratitude to them, she had de- 
cided to permanently reside with them, and, to compensate 
them, was going to will them all her property, though she 
could never fully repay their kindness. She also spoke in the 
most affectionate manner of Capt. Lindmark, — with whose 
brother I had become acquainted in Stockholm, Sweden, — and 



THE OTHER SIDE. 303 

declared that lie was the only man that she could ever love 

and respect. This was my only interview with Mrs. Heurtley 

alias Hart-Davies, until I saw her prosecuting Mrs. Fletcher 

at the police-office in Bow Street. 

(Signed) 

WILLIAM EGLINTON. 

People who hold that every Spiritualist must neces- 
sarily be either a knave or a fool may not place re- 
liance on the testimony of witnesses who are avowed 
Spiritualists ; but as the same might be said of persons 
holding any religious doctrine, by its opponents, and 
as we know that persons of every creed, and of no 
creed, may be honest and truthful, I do not see any 
good ground for rejecting the testimony of Spiritual- 
ists, more than that of, say, Swedenborgians, or San- 
demanians. • 

I have given somewhat of "the other side," which 
I think ought to have been heard in what was called 
my trial. But surely that is not a trial in which 
really but one witness was heard. 

Above all, I think the testimony to the reality of 
Spiritualism should have been given. The whole case 
turned upon two facts, — the existence of spirits, and 
their power to communicate with mortals. To prove 
false pretences against me, it was necessary to prove, 
either that the spirit of Mrs. Heurtley did not exist, 
or that, if existing, she had no power to communicate. 



304 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

with her child, or that I could not be the medium of 
such a communication. No such proof was given. I 
was not convicted : I was simply outlawed, condemned 
without a hearing, sentenced to a year's imprisonment, 
and abused by Mr. Justice Hawkins and the whole 
pack of his echoes in the newspapers, for being a 
Spiritualist. 

This state of things cannot last long. As one of 
my friends has said, — 

"Spiritualists are too numerous to be outlawed; and there 
are among them so many persons of high ability and position, 
that their rights must be respected. In a recent will-case in 
Chicago, Judge Tuley, two of whose four colleagues on the 
bench were pronounced Spiritualists, ruled that belief in Spir- 
itualism is no evidence of insanity. 

"'Prominent men,' he said, 'in various professions, whose integrity, 
intellectual ability, and perfect sanity would not be questioned, had testified 
that they had seen spirits, had had communications with departed friends, 
and generally that they believed in the same spiritual phemomena as Col 
Curhman did. Such phenomena could not now be dismissed, as in the case 
of Lyon vs. Home, with the remark that they were " mischievous nonsense." 
It was a notorious fact, that men who stood high in science, judges who 
adorned the bench, attorneys and solicitors amongst the foremost at the bar, 
clergymen, physicians, literary men of the highest ability, and, in effect, 
persons of prominence in every walk and profession of life, honestly believed 
in the truth of such phenomena ; and it would be the sheerest nonsense to 
hold that such belief was any evidence of an unsound mind.' 

" Quite recently the Rev. J. Page Hopps, a well-known 
Unitarian clergyman of Leicester, taking the chair at a Spir- 
itualist lecture, said, — 



THE OTHER SIDE. • 305 

" ! Hundreds of thousands of persons, one might safely say millions of 
persons, in all circles of society, — in America, in India, in Africa, in China, 
in Australia, in Russia, in France, in Germany, in Italy, in England, — sol- 
emnly and pertinaciously declare that spirit-communion is a reality. Pro- 
fessors of science in universities, and mechanics at the bench, clergymen 
and colliers, statesmen and shopkeepers, poets and porters, titled ladies and 
seamstresses, artists and hard matter-of-fact manufacturers, in all parts cf 
the world, hold to the belief of spirit-communion. Horace Greeley was a 
believer in spirit-communion, so was Lloyd Garrison, so was Abraham Lin- 
coln, so was John Pierpont, so was George Thompson, Robert Chambers, 
Archbishop Whately, and William Howitt. So, it is believed, were Lord 
Lyttou and W. M. Thackeray. So, 1 believe, is the poet Longfellow. So are 
men like Professors Scheibner, Weber, Hoffman, Zolluer, and Fechner in 
the universities of Germany, Butleroff and Wagner in the university of St. 
Petersburg, and many men like our own Alfred Russell Wallace, William 
Crookes, C. S. Varley, S. C. Hall, T. L. Nichols, Professor Barrett, and Lord 
Lindsay. But, after all, these more modern men only echo what has been 
affirmed from the days of Plutarch, Tertullian, and St. Augustine, to the 
days of Lord Bacon, Thomas More, and John Wesley. There is, besides, a 
varied, important, and cultured literature on the subject, with a mass of 
evidence that is positively overwhelming, whether from a scientific, personal, 
or religious point of view. It seems to me, therefore, that we shall do well 
to give a respectful hearing to any intelligent person who declares that he 
also has investigated, and is convinced that this thing is true. 1 " 

Before leaving this part of my tiresome case, there 
is one point on which I think more evidence ought to 
be given. In her evidence Mi's. Hart-Davies declared 
her belief in Spiritualism; but later she "fenced" 
with the question, and allowed the prosecution to rep- 
resent her as a new convert, innocent and deluded. 
Her most intimate friend, next to Dr. Mack, Mr. W. 
H. Harrison, editor of the late " Spiritualist " (news- 
paper), has given plenty of evidence that Mrs. Hart- 



306 • TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Davies was an old and advanced Spiritualist. In 
"Psyche," a magazine of which a few numbers were 
published as a monthly continuation of the defunct 
" Spiritualist," he published in May, 1882, some ex- 
tracts from a private letter from " Mrs. Heurtley," as 
she then chose to call herself. She says, — 

" Our father was reserved, and somewhat unapproachable 
by young, timid natures; but of our mother! — what shall I say 
to convey even a faint idea of the majestic beauty of her mind 
and character ? She was much occupied in the duties involved 
by her influence over a brilliant and intellectual society. . . . 
Allowed no companions, I had full opportunities for cultivat- 
ing my innate desire for sequestered meditation. The inner 
consciousness of being often surrounded by a particular ' pres- 
ence,' as I called it, grew with my growth. In my ignorance 
I knew not what it was, but dared to venture to believe for 
myself that invisible and intelligent witnesses were around us, 
and I supposed they might be ethereal ' angel guardians.' . . . 
All this time I knew nothing of Spiritualistic teachings. When 
my mother died, I was abroad. Then came to me her visible 
'presence ; ? and, although quite awake, yet I found myself by 
her side somehow, and in a lovely garden lighted neither by 
sun nor moon nor stars, and the light was softly bright, mak- 
ing the foliage and flowers to shine like gems. I heard her tell 
me, 'My child, they will tell you I am dead ; but it is not so. 
I thought I had died, but found myself gazing on my own 
dead body, and still that I was more alive than ever. . . . Tell 
every one that there is no death — only change.' Imagine the 
effect of these words upon one who had so long sought for an 
assurance, beyond that derived from mere tradition, of this all- 



THE OTHER SIDE. 307 

satisfying fact. And it was this incident that turned my atten- 
tion to Cahaynet's works, and subsequently to hearken to the 
trance-messages given through Fletcher's remarkable medium- 
ship. . . . Thus you may, perhaps, be enabled to comprehend 
easier the real, unselfish motive for my extreme eagerness at 
catching hold of the first exanmles of practical 'Spiritualistic' 
teachings presented to me. Amid a thousand other misconcep- 
tions of my character, actions, and motives, which have been 
industriously spread abroad, is that of my having ' suddenly 
rushed into Spiritualism,' 'caught' by a few spirit-messages, 
and a few fawning promises of encouraging aid in my re- 
searches. . . . Personally I bear no resentful feeling against 
the Fletchers, though they only know how deeply they have 
sinned against her who desired only to have been their bene- 
factress." 

This letter was written in March, 1882, near the end 
of my imprisonment. It settles the question about her 
having been a Spiritualist long before we ever saw 
her, and her desire to be our " benefactress." 

Jan. 27, 1882, Mr. Harrison, editor of the " Spiritu- 
alist," in an article headed u The Shadow of a Great 
Crime," again implored Spiritualists to take up the 
cause of Mrs. Hart-Davies. He says, — 

" A joyous and enthusiastic new convert, out of an all- 
absorbing love for her departed mother, strove in an inexperi- 
enced and ineffectual way to do material good beyond all 
precedent to Spiritualism, and was then swindled, and treated 
in the most abominable manner." 



308 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

This enthusiastic new convert, who had been, accord- 
ing to her own story, published in Mr. Harrison's own 
paper, a Spiritualist and medium from her childhood, 
wished " to do a material good beyond all precedent 
to Spiritualism" by joining us, and sharing with us 
her mother's wardrobe, while we, in return, were to 
give her a home for life. 

" The very head and front of my offending 
Hath this extent, no more." 

The crime for which I was one year in prison, Mr. 
Justice Hawkins said, was consummated when the first 
jewel, the poor little amethyst brooch, was placed in 
my hand by this "joyous and enthusiastic new con- 
vert," who complained that her drunken husband had 
beaten her, was robbing her, had tried to poison her 
and put her in a lunatic-asylum, and urged that it 
be accepted as some liquidation of the debt due my 
husband. Under these circumstances if her story was 
true, or under these false pretences if not true, she 
sought our protection, and volunteered to aid us in our 
work. We were imprudent if you please ; unfortu- 
nate, as w r e saw too soon : but in what way were we 
criminals ? 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 

SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 

I do not wish to weary my readers ; but, before 
beginning the story of my imprisonment, I wish* to give 
a few comments on the case, such as I might have ad- 
dressed to the jury, had the present mode of procedure 
been adopted a little earlier. The right of a prisoner 
to tell his own story to the jury had always existed, 
always been lawful ; but the judges, who are first law- 
yers, and mindful of the interests of the craft, had set 
it aside. I am glad that they haye at last restored the 
exercise of this right, so long desired — only it came, 
for me, a little too late. 

First, of the accusation at Bow Street, when Mr. 
Abrahams had his opportunity to libel me, and by a 
series of utterly false statements, reproduced in the 
newspapers, so deeply prejudiced the public against 
me — as if a libel uttered in a police-court, and printed 
in a newspaper report, were not as great a wrong, 
and as deep an injury, as any other libel ! A false 
witness may be prosecuted for perjury. A lawyer may 

309 



310 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

tell a series of horrible falsehoods, and have them pub- 
lished all over the world, to the utter destruction of 
character, business, and prospects, with entire impu- 
nity. Surely this is a hideous wrong. 

Mr. Abrahams said Mrs. Hart-Davies's separation 
from her husband had no reference to the case. The 
reader has seen that the conduct which she said was 
the cause of the separation induced her to seek our 
protection. 

The "falsity of the story about the mother's jewels 
being dangerous to Mrs. Hart-Da vies is shown by the 
fact that she continued to wear them, and was never 
without them. Mr. Abrahams declared that I had 
broken open her boxes, and stolen valuable velvets and 
laces. The fact was, that she and I unpacked and re- 
packed together, after the things had been forced upon 
me by the deed of gift. The u Oriental pearls" on 
which such stress was laid, and which I was charged 
with stealing, after they had been formally given to 
me, were found by Mr. Shrive the detective at the Pan- 
technicon, where Mrs. Hart-Davies had stored them. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies was represented to be her mother's 
administratrix. But her mother left no will : she was 
not the sister of Mr. Sampson; it was shown that 
her relation to that gentleman was of quite a different 
nature. Mrs. Hart-Davies swore that the property 
left her by her mother was under one hundred pounds : 



SOME COMMENTS OX THE CASE. 311 

after it was in my possession, she claimed that its value 
was fifty thousand dollars. This fraudulent under-valu- 
ation was sworn to for the purpose of avoiding the 
legacy or succession duty. In court she testified that 
the property had been given to her before her mother's 
death. 

All the matter of the will, and the "deed after 
deed," in Mr. Abrahams' s statement, is disposed of by 
the testimony of Mr. Morton, and the London solicitor, 
Mr. Francis, to whom Mr. Morton introduced Mrs. 
Hart-Davies when she wished to make her benefaction 
to " Spiritualism in its higher phases." 

The charge of our attempting to poison Mrs. Hart- 
Davies, and that of some mysterious connection with 
"free-love" doctrines, made by Mr. Abrahams, were 
quietly dropped out of the case by the government 
prosecutors, and were evidently introduced to prejudice 
the magistrate and the public against us. 

Mr. Morton was convicted of conspiring with us, or 
I with him and my husband. But let me ask in pass- 
ing, if he had been engaged in a criminal attempt to 
rob this unprotected woman, would he have taken her 
to a firm of most respectable London solicitors, that 
she might be guided by their advice as to the disposi- 
tion she should make of what Mr. Justice Hawkins 
ruled was her husband's property? 

If Mrs. Hart-Davies, on coming to our house, was 



312 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

44 treated with indignity," and " almost starved," and 
u felt very weak and ill after drinking her morning 
coffee," why did she go with us to America? The 
fact is, that she had five meals a day, and always 
extra provisions in her own room. 

I have said enough, perhaps, of Mr. Abrahams ; but 
I cannot doubt that the utterly false coloring he gave 
to the case created a prejudice which made a fair trial 
and a just verdict impossible. 

The testimony of Mrs. Hart-Davies was full of what 
Lord Sherborne calls " slatternly inaccuracies." Even 
on trifling and unimportant matters she seemed to 
choose the opposite of truth. 

It was said that when we went to America we had 
no intention of returning. What were the facts ? We 
left our house in charge of a friend and the servants, 
with all the furniture, — that which had belonged to 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, and our own. Mrs. Hart-Davies 
swore that I took eight trunks ; but there were only 
six in all, of which two were hers, one Mr. Fletcher's, 
one my son's, and two my own. We had engaged 
Steinway Hall for the winter, and made all our arrange- 
ments to return in the autumn. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies admitted, that, when she ran- 
sacked my house with Dr. Mack and Mr. Abrahams, 
she " might have accidentally removed a few of my 
things with her own," When I went to the Pantech- 



SOME COMMENTS OX THE CASE. 313 

nicon, with a clerk of the solicitors of the treasury, 
and looked over the things, I found so many articles of 
my own property-, that the inventory covered several 
sheets, and among them private papers which she swore 
she had never taken. She made much of finding some 
of her things between the mattresses. The articles 
she found were a few cotton dresses and curtains, 
placed between the spring and mattress in her own 
bedroom, and placed there at her own suggestion. 

But the letters read in court? — what have you to 
say to them ? 

I have to say, that, had the letters on both sides 
been read, one set would have fully explained the 
other. Mrs. Hart-Davies took very good care that her 
letters should not be produced in court. 

TThat did these letters prove, beyond our friendly 
feelings, ichen every letter produced teas written after 
the deed of gift and her icill had been made, and all 
the property to which they related had been placed in 
our hands for safe keeping, with, as she stated, "the 
honorable understanding that it should be returned to 
her whenever she should demand it? " And it was. 

The transaction having been completed, what had 
the letters which passed between us subsequently to 
do with proof of fraud or false pretences ? It was the 
same as if they had been written ten years afterward. 

And it is to be observed, that, when this property 



314 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

was in our possession, it so remained. It was not 
shown that any jewel, or any article of any kind, was 
ever sold, or in any way disposed of. Is this the 
fashion of swindlers and thieves? In America the 
jewels were placed by Mr. Fletcher, with the concur- 
rence of Mrs. Hart-Davies, in safe keeping. When 
she demanded them, he gave her an order to get them. ■ 
I ask again, Are these the proceedings of swindlers 
and thieves ? 

If I complain of the introduction of private letters 
on one side, written after the acts indicted as fraudu- 
lent, what is to be said of my photograph, commented 
upon by the judge, and given to the jury? If it was as 
a study of physiognomy, they had me before them for 
six days, and had ample opportunity to see if I looked 
like a thief, a witch, or a sorceress. What proof could 
a photograph, taken either before or after a crime, be 
of the guilt of a prisoner? There was no question of 
identity. I had not denied my name or profession. 

Then how came my photograph to be given as evidence 

« 
against me, and commented upon in a way to create 

more prejudice in the public mind, perhaps, than any 
fact or fiction during the trial? As it was not shown, 
it was assumed to be something very dreadful. 

What was this terrible photograph ? One day 1 went 
with my husband to one of the best London photog- 
raphers, and was pictured in a low muslin waist. All 



SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 315 

ladies are required to wear low dresses at her Majes- 
ty's drawing-rooms; and, in their progress through St. 
James's Park to Buckingham Palace, they are exposed 
to the gaze of the public with very little covering, and 
many remarks. This photograph, taken for my hus- 
band, and kept by him, was stolen by Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
— it being among the papers she found in our house 
in Gordon Street during our absence in America. Mr. 
Abrahams thought proper to introduce it as evidence 
against me at Bow Street, where he passed it through 
the court-room ; and Sir Henry Hawkins handed it to 
the jury at the Old Bailey. 

There are always differences of taste and opinion as 
to fashions of dress. Quakeresses cannot be presented 
at court. Fastidious people do not like the low 
dresses worn at dinners, balls, and generally for what 
is called full or evening dress. I do not care to defend 
the fashions of society, or the taste of either my hus- 
band or the photographer ; though the latter assured 
me that he had taken photographs of many very ele- 
gant and fashionable ladies, among whom were wives 
of aldermen who assisted at my trial, more decolletees 
than mine. I have only to say, that it was a private 
keepsake for my husband, not intended to be shown, 
not more scandalous than may be seen at dinners, 
balls, the opera, and the Queen's drawing-rooms, and 
that it had nothing to do with my guilt or innocence in 
any way whatever. 



316 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

It was pretended that I was photographed in some 
of the jewels said to have been obtained by false pre- 
tences. There are no jewels in the photograph but 
a small pendant and ear-rings, and a single string of 
pearls, which I had long before I ever saw Mrs. Hart- 
Davies. 

Showing a photograph, and talking about it, to pre- 
judice the public against me, was of a piece with the 
whole trial. It was probably introduced to sustain 
the ninth count of that long indictment, which charged 
that I pretended to exercise witchcraft, sorcery, etc. 
Had I been on my trial for murder, or the attempt to 
murder, as at first charged by Mr. Abrahams, would 
my photograph in a low-necked dress have been given 
to the jury as a proof of guilt? Is every lady who 
wears on any occasion a low-necked dress a swindler, 
and a possible or probable murderess ? 

Hereafter I shall advise ladies to be photographed 
only in high-necked dresses, — as I intended to be on 
that occasion, — and to wear them, as I always do, 
wherever the customs of society will admit. 

The indictment assumed the impossibility of spirit- 
communications. Mrs. Hart-Davies swore, on the 
trial, that they had been given ; though she solemnly 
assured Mr. Morton that she had not been influenced 
by any one, spirit or mortal, in giving us her property, 
but only wished to save it from being squandered by 



SOME COMMENTS ON THE CASE. 317 

her drunken husband, and have it used for the pro- 
motion of Spiritualism. 

The reader who has had the patience to read the 
trial, especially the charge of Mr. Justice Hawkins, 
will see that it was the assumption of the falsity of 
Spiritualism, and the truthfulness of the onh' witness 
against me, — the one \ l on whom the whole fabric of 
the prosecution rested," — that secured my conviction, 
and sent me to the prison which must be the scene 
of what remains of my story. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 

I had taken leave of my friends, and written to 
tho§e I could not see ; because I knew, that, from the 
moment the verdict of guilty was pronounced, I could 
not speak or write. In saying good-by to Dr. Nichols, 
one of my bail, who had every day received me on my 
arrival at the court, as he had done at Bow Street, to 
give me his arm, and conduct me to the prisoner's dock 
and from it, as he would have taken me to my box or 
stall at the opera, I said to him, " I shall be convicted, 
and the next time you see me it will be in a prison. 
Do nothing for me. Do every thing you can to change 
the laws of England, so that in future there may be 
justice for Spiritualists." 

When the blow fell — when, after waiting more than 
three hours and a half for the verdict that was not in 
the least doubtful to me, that I knew would come — I 
was quite prepared, and was only weary from waiting 
so long. I showed no emotion, for I felt none. There 
was no surprise, and I rose to receive my sentence. I 

318 



HEK MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 319 

beard the beginning of that sentence, but not the end. 
There came over me a sort of paralysis, a partial 
trance, in which I heard the voice of the judge like a 
distant, indistinct murmur. The scolding and the in- 
sults, so far as I was concerned at the time, were quite 
thrown away. 

Two female warders of Xewgate stood ready to 
receive me & but the governor, who had been most kind 
and gentle to me, said to them, "You go away: let 
me take her." He took me into the prison, and gave 
me to a woman there, who placed me in the cell lately 
occupied by Mrs. Weldon, — a large double cell, very 
clean and comfortable. The female warders at Xew- 
gate seemed to me the best of their class. 

I slept that night in Xewgate. and was allowed to 
see one visitor. Miss Agnes Maltby, who brought 
flowers to me at Bow Street, and wished to go to 
prison in my place, walked into Xewgate so deter- 
mined to see me. that the governor did not see his way 
to refuse her. I was also allowed to write one letter, 
which was read by the inspector, and then posted to 
my husband. 

While this passed I was in a kind of maze, much as 
if I had been sitting in a theatre, and seeing a play 
enacted on the stage. I was as a spectator of things 
done and endured by another. 

At half-past twelve I was taken in a cab with one 



820 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

of the warders, instead of going in the prison omni- 
bus, the " Black Maria." This was, I believe, a very 
unusual favor, done to protect me from contact with 
other prisoners. A male officer of course went with 
me. I put out my hands for the handcuffs. He 
looked at them a moment, and put the implements 
into his pocket, with an emphatic " No ! " 

" Praj- make no difference for me," I said. 

" No. I will not put them on. Of course you will 
give your w T ord to make no trouble." 

" Only the trouble of seeing me to my destination," 
I said. And so I went, free of the shackles, on my 
parole. 

I did not know then how much I had been spared by 
being sent in a cab at an unusual hour. It saved me 
from mingling with the poor unfortunates gathered from 
the police-courts ; from the filthy horrors of the recep- 
tion, when all wash from one tank, and wipe on one 
towel, and the poor women, wild with grief, or crazy 
w r ith delirium- tremens, are screaming in the reception- 
cells. 

In the office, my clothes were taken, neatty folded 
and put away, and my money, watch, and such jewels 
as I had, were registered, and safely deposited. The 
female warders, officers as they are called, treated me 
with every possible consideration. They gave me the 
best shoes that could be found, selected the best fitting 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 321 

brown serge prison-dress they had, with a not unbe- 
coming white cap. If the prison-costume was not all 
that could be desired, my friendly officers did the best 
they could for me, and I had a clean suit at every 
fresh supply. The stockings are blue with a red 
stripe, and very coarse. The shoes are made low, 
with very thick soles, and fit as it may happen. There 
is one white flannel skirt, and a flannel under-vest if 
the prisoner is wearing one at the time of admission ; 
but there are no drawers (and this slight addition 
would prevent much suffering) , a brown serge petti- 
coat, skirt, and jacket, a blue check handkerchief to 
wear under the jacket, and another for the pocket 
(very coarse and rough), and a white cotton cap. 

At the reception-cell I was visited b} T the lady super- 
intendent, the Protestant chaplain, and the physician. 

They were all polite and kind. The lady superin- 
tendent expressed her regret that no difference could 
be made in the prison-diet. She could make no excep- 
tions. I told her I did not expect to find every thing 
easy or agreeable. 

The Protestant chaplain, finding that I was not to be 
placed with his fold or his branch, had very little to 
say to me. 

The doctor inspected me, and asked about nry health. 
He wished me to take off a ring I had not been able 
to give up at the office, it fitted so tightly. In a week 
it came off very easily. 



322 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

After this ceremony of reception, I was sent to my 
final prison. 

Her Majesty's Prison, Westminster, now set apart 
for female convicts not sentenced to penal servitude, 
is in what used to be called Tothill Fields, south of 
Victoria Street, between "Westminster Abbey and the 
Houses of Parliament on the east and the Victoria 
Station on the west. A wall about thirty feet high 
encloses a large octagon. In its centre is an open 
space with grass and trees, around which are ranged 
the prisons and offices. A great double iron gate on 
the south side is the only entrance. 

My cell, to be my home for twelve months, was 
very solidly made of stone, nine or ten feet long, seven 
feet wide, with walls seven feet high, and arched so as 
to make the roof nine feet high in the centre. The 
window is of thick yellow glass, shaded by louvres. 
On the light side of the prison these windows admit 
light enough to read by, but not on the dark side ; so 
that half the cells are too dark for reading, and of 
course much too dark to be healthy. The ventilation 
is by means of perforated iron in the wall and an 
opening at the bottom of the cell. 

My bed was a canvas hammock, six feet long and 
thirty inches wide, suspended across the cell, in which 
one has to lie quite straight, and be very careful not 
to tumble out. I had three blankets, two white and 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 323 

one colored, which are supposed to be washed once a 
year, and are inherited by a succession of short-term 
prisoners ; and I had also a pair of sheets and a case 
for my sawdust pillow, which were washed once a 
month. There was no mattress, 

In winter these cells are very cold and damp, as 
well as dark. The air is warm in the corridors ; but its 
moisture condenses on the walls of the cells, and runs 
down upon the floor. Sleeping without a mattress, 
and with insufficient covering, prisoners — especially 
the feeble, the old, the rheumatic, and those debili- 
tated, as most are, by intemperate habits — have dread- 
ful suffering. The healthiest nearly perish of cold. 

Of course they are sent there — some thousands of 
women every year, an average of five or six hundred 
at a time — to be punished, but not, I think, to have 
their health destroyed by being kept twenty-three hours 
out of every twenty-four in solitary confinement in 
dark, cold, damp cells, like so many tombs. I cannot 
believe that it is "her Majesty's pleasure," if it is 
her home secretary's, that her Majesty's unfortunate, 
or even guilty, female subjects should be so cruelly 
treated. 

" Unfortunate ! " — yes, far more unfortunate, the 
greater part, than guilt}\ Nine in ten, and I think a 
larger proportion, owe their imprisonment solely to 
drink sold to them by respectable men licensed by 



324 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

government, and so employed to collect the revenue. 
The government tempts these poor women to drink, 
pockets a large part of the mone}' they pay for their 
"liquid damnation," and then shuts them up in this 
dark, cold, and horrible prison to get sober, and then 
get drunk again ; and so on, until they sink into a cell 
a little darker and narrower, — the pauper's grave. 

My little, dark, cold room was not encumbered by 
superfluous furniture. There was a table of unpainted 
wood about twenty inches by thirty, a box to sit on 
twelve inches by eighteen, and eighteen inches high, 
a two-quart tin can for gruel, a three-quart tin to hold 
my daily supply of water, a pint tin can to drink 
from, a tin plate, a wooden spoon, and a tin bucket 
for slops (without a cover) , a coarse and fine comb, a 
tin wash-basin, a towel changed once a week, and the 
rules of the prison in French and English, headed in 
large type, " Convicted Prisoners," which words I 
was so tired of seeing, that I turned them to the wall. 

Each cell has a Bible and a praj'er-book. In the 
Bible I read, " I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 
. . . Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of 
these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." The 
rules provide that each well-behaved prisoner may 
receive a visit once in three months, in presence of a 
warder. After two months, if a prisoner has no bad 
marks against her, she can have a book from the 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 325 

library, — a volume of u The Leisure Hour," or some 
moral and religious book suitable for female prisoners. 
These rewards of merit can be changed once a week, 
and are a great comfort to those whose cells have light 
enough to read by. 

The great bell of the prison wakes its five hundred 
sleepers at six a.m. ; and all must be dressed to receive 
their officers (warders) , who unlock the cells at half- 
past six, when all pass out with their uncovered slop- 
buckets and water-cans, — to empty the former, and 
fill the latter. The water-tank and place for emptying 
slops are together ; and fifty women of one division 
are expected to get back to their cells in ten minutes. 

At eight o'clock comes breakfast. For those sent 
for more than three months, there is a pint of oatmeal 
gruel, six ounces of bread, coarse and dark, varying 
in quality, and sometimes sour or mouldy. When com- 
plaints are made, it is better, and when well made, ac- 
cording to regulation, prison-bread, coarse and brown, 
is doubtless more healthful than the fine white bread 
of the common bakers. 

At half -past nine a.m. we were let out to exercise in 
the yard for fifteen minutes, and then go to chapel — 
Protestant, or Catholic, as we are registered — for half 
an hour, and on coming out were marched in single 
file round the yard again for fifteen minutes. It was 
a curious sight to see this regiment of women, from 



326 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

eighty-five years old to twelve, all dressed alike, but 
looking so different, — a regiment composed almost 
entirely of drunkards, prostitutes, thieves. One aged 
prisoner had with her her daughter and grand-daughter, 
who, she proudly said, she believed were without ex- 
ception the best thieves in London, because she had 
learned it u scientific" herself," and taught them the 
same way. Mrs. McCarty is a little thin, dried-up 
old woman, who had been to prison sixty times, and 
five times during that year. Women are often released 
on Thursday, and come back to their old cells again 
on Saturday. 

Surety the " wisdom of Parliament " might contrive 
some better way than that. Of course the cause, in 
nearly all such cases, is drink ; and while the wisest 
and best government keeps an open, ever-flowing foun- 
tain of intoxicating liquors at every corner, because it 
extracts an enormous revenue from those least able to 
pay it, it is necessary to have policemen to catch, and 
great prisons to confine, those who so vainly pray, 
" Lead us not into temptation, but deliver- its from evil." 

Of course governments must have money ; but is 
there not a better way than the encouragement of vice 
in order that it may be taxed to pay a revenue? And 
why not go a step farther, and tax a few other vices, 
that might be nearly as profitable ? But I fear I am 
diverging into politics, with which women have no 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 827 

business — except to suffer whatever masculine legis- 
lation may inflict. 

Pardon this digression. At twelve o'clock comes 
dinner, — a dreadfully unfashionable hour ; but Queen 
Elizabeth dined at eleven. On Monday each prisoner 
who is not on the bread-and- water fare of short-comers, 
or in the bad-conduct cells, gets three potatoes in a net, 
six ounces of badly-cooked beans, and generally vile 
bacon, and six ounces of bread. The only eating- 
utensil is a wooden spoon half an inch thick, with 
which she must peel her potatoes, and divide her meat. 
But I remembered with no little consolation that her 
Majesty's is the most aristocratic government under 
heaven. 

On Tuesdays the Right Honorable the home secre- 
tary provided us with a pint of very bad soup, flavored 
with cabbage, looking very green, and smelling very 
badly, and bread, which is brought in great baskets, 
emptied upon the stones in the yard, counted, and 
broken, the prisoners meantime walking over it. This 
does not improve the appetite. 

On Wednesdays we had six ounces of dark suet- 
pudding and three ounces of bread. 

On Thursdays, the delightful soup again, and six 
ounces of bread. 

On Fridays, we had the luxury of Australian meat, 
specially allotted on this day for the benefit of the 



828 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Roman-Catholic prisoners ; the government following, 
in this matter,, the edifying example of the late Rev. 
Dr. dimming of Crown Court, who collected funds, and 
instituted one meat-dinner a week for the little raga- 
muffins of Clare Market and Drury Lane. As three- 
fourths of them are Papists, he gave his meat-dinners 
on Fridays. If the Papists in her Majesty's Prison, 
Westminster, are conscientious, or are not dispensed 
while in prison, this arrangement may be an economi- 
cal one for her Majesty's government. 

On Saturday, bread and soup again ; and on Sunday, 
suet-pudding. 

At one o'clock p.m. the dinner vessels in the cells 
are taken, out and w r ashed, and prisoners locked in 
their cells till five p.m., when supper of bread and 
gruel is brought them, after which they are locked in 
for the night. 

"Are 3'ou all right?" asks the warder. u Good- 
night." These two sentences are all the words allowed 
to be spoken to a prisoner, unless they have to be 
scolded for some breach of the regulations, and these 
more to be assured of their occupant than from cour- 
tesy or kindness. Thus each prisoner is locked in her 
solitary cell for twenty-three hours out of every twenty- 
four'; which is in itself a very dreadful punishment, bad 
for the health of the body, worse for the health of the 
mind — abnormal, inhuman, diseasing, demoralizing. 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 829 

A saint might grow more saintly by such a discipline, 
perhaps; but even a saint's body could hardly get 
more healthy. Common men and women, social 
beings, with all their best instincts unsatisfied and 
blighted, must be made worse in every way by such 
unnatural conditions. 

The treatment of a prisoner depends upon the char- 
acter and disposition of the warder. The warders may 
be very kind or very cruel without breaking the prison 
rules. If well disposed, they can favor a prisoner in 
many ways ; if ill disposed, jealous, harsh, or cruel, 
as some warders, even female warders, are, they can 
make a prisoner's life very uncomfortable. 

They are directed to treat their prisoners as kindly 
as they can consistently with their duty to enforce the 
rules. They are not allowed to strike a prisoner. If 
a prisoner is so refractory as to be unmanageable, 
male officers, who are at hand, are sent for. The pris- 
oner has, however, no possible remedy for any amount 
of ill usage. The word of a prisoner would never be 
believed against that of an officer. For the slightest 
offence, a prisoner may be reported to the lady super- 
intendent for punishment, and consigned to a padded 
cell without bed or furniture, with no exercise or chapel, 
with bread and water, and loss of good-conduct marks 
and money. For the best possible conduct a prisoner 
may be allowed to come out of her cell, and scrub, or 



330 TWELVE MONTHS' IN PRISON. 

break stone. This is called " occupying a position of 
trust." 

From November to March prisoners are allowed to 
light gas in their cells from five p.m. to eight. The 
corridors of the prison are warmed with hot-water 
pipes ; but this begins late in the season, and is regu- 
lated, not by the thermometer, but the almanac and 
the number of royal marriages, which, of course, affect 
government appropriations. 

We were expected to keep our cells clean, but were 
provided with no soap (except about half an ounce a 
week for our hands) , no washing flannels, no stones for 
the floors, really no means of cleanliness. A prisoner 
is allowed a bath, hot or cold, of ten minutes, once a 
fortnight. I, who had been accustomed to bathe two or 
three times, a day found this scarcity of water a great 
deprivation. The bath, even at these long intervals, is 
not of obligation ; and very few prisoners bathe at all, 
leaving them undesirable company for those who do. 

Prisoners who are seriously ill are removed to the 
infirmary, where they have a better diet, beds to sleep 
on, and gas. The doctor can be summoned at any 
time, but he has a difficult position. Prisoners want 
to get into the infirmary cells for the better diet and 
other privileges. The cunning may deceive even a, 
very clever physician ; while the really sick and suffer- 
ing may possibly, if under a hard warder, be neglected. 



HER MAJESTY'S PRISON, WESTMINSTER. 331 

On the whole, the behavior of the prisoners, no 
longer exposed to the influence of drink, was remarka- 
bly good. There is a great difference between drunk 
and sober. A little alcohol converts an angel into a 
demon. The amount of whiskey on which the chan- 
cellor of the exchequer gets threepence may make all 
the difference between vice and virtue, innocence and 
crime. If these hundreds of poor women could only 
be sent to some country, possibly Pagan, where they 
could get no whiskey, they might be chaste wives, 
fond mothers, and good Christians. 

The rule of this prison is a rule of solitude and 
silence. Prisoners must not make a noise in walk- 
ing, must not sing, or talk with their warders or each 
other. But no home secretary can absolutely govern 
the tongues of five or six hundred women. They 
manage to talk with each other through the ventilat- 
ors : during exercise there may be some furtive con- 
versation between those who are thrown together, and 
still more during the singing in chapel. 

Considering the sort of persons who would naturally 
seek for such an employment, even with the prospect 
of a retiring pension after many years of service, the 
warders were better than one would expect, and some 
very intelligent and very kind. There are, however, 
in all prisons, I fear, officers quite the reverse, — igno- 
rant, low-bred, drunken, and innately, constitutionally 



332 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

cruel. The lady superintendent at Tothill Fields, a 
firm, capable woman, had been obliged, I heard, to rid 
herself of eight drunken warders and several thieves. 
I have myself seen warders reeling from drink. Pris- 
oners who are often there, and come to know the offi- 
cers, say of this or that one, " You'll get on all right 
with her when she isn't drunk." 

One miserable drunken warder seemed to take a 
special spite at me : she would have liked to have me 
under her, and she took every opportunity to assail me 
with rough and brutal language. When I was very ill, 
so as to be scarcely able to walk, she said, if I only 
belonged to her, she would make me walk faster, or 
she would have me carried by my head and heels. 

Of course female warders are jealous of each other. 
Singers and actresses, and man}' other women perhaps, 
are not quite free from such small frailties. Naturally 
they suspect and complain of favoritism. It is as 
much as the doctor's life is worth to show the slightest 
partiality to officer or prisoner. The lady superintend- 
ent better than any one else can tell you why. 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

PRISONERS AND PRISON-LIFE. 

Choosing to go upon the Catholic side, my chaplain, 
of course, was the Roman-Catholic priest appointed by 
the cardinal-archbishop for this arduous and responsible 
position. As the bulk of the Roman Catholics in Lon- 
don are the poor Irish, crowded by their poverty into 
the worst conditions, and subjected to all its tempta- 
tions, there are many Catholic prisoners. 

The Catholic chaplain was a Jesuit, and of course 
highly educated. Whatever else Jesuits ma}' be, they 
must be that. They may hold that " the end sanctifies 
the means;" but some of their means seem to be a 
careful selection of candidates, a thorough educational 
course extending over fourteen years, and the polished 
manners which fit them to shine in the highest society, 
and to deal effectively with the lowest. For the rest, 
I presume a thoroughly educated, well-bred man may 
possibly also be a good one. 

My chaplain selected me to take charge of the cha- 
pel, to keep it clean, and to dress the altar for the daily 

333 



334 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

mass. This was a great favor and a great happiness. 
On the first Saturday I was in prison, a friend of mine, 
a Catholic gentleman, brought an armful of beautiful 
flowers for the altar ; and every Saturday for ten 
months, in storm or sunshine, through summer and 
winter, he came to the gate of the prison w r ith the 
same beautiful offering to our friendship, w T hich bright- 
ened the eyes, and gladdened the hearts, of the poor 
prisoners. I suppose it may seem to many a supersti- 
tion to ornament a chapel with flowers, but it is at least 
a very pretty one. And why not flowers in a church, 
as well as in a drawing-room or on a lady's bonnet? 
The poor prisoners at least did not see any harm in it ; 
and I, for one, found a great happiness, until, toward 
the end, I became so ill that I could no longer bear 
them. 

There is a religious service at nine o'clock every 
morning at each chapel, and two services on Sunday. 
Every Protestant prisoner is obliged to attend. They 
go together, each prison forming a group, with the 
warders to keep them in order ; but there are not 
enough to prevent them from talking, and sometimes 
using very bad language with each other. The Cath- 
olic chaplain can send for any of his prisoners to his 
room, or see the older ones in their cells, with the 
warder outside ; but I believe the Protestant chaplain 
sees all prisoners in the presence of the warder, which 
is also the rule with the doctor. 



PRISONERS AND PRISON-LIFE. 335 

There is a school for all prisoners who are not toler- 
ably well educated. The warders teach, and the pupils 
are examined by the chaplains. 

Five-sixths of the women at Tothill Fields are of the 
class of prostitutes. As there is no classification or 
separation of prisoners, they have many opportunities 
to corrupt those who are still innocent ; and young 
girls are induced to join them when their terms of 
imprisonment have expired. It is said that women 
get sent for short terms for no other purpose than that 
of making such acquaintances. 

I was surprised to find these women of ill fame so 
frank as to their mode of life, so determined to per- 
severe in what they considered one of many modes of 
getting a living, so resolutely set against any idea of 
reform, or of giving up their unhappy relations. Those 
who were registered as Catholics, if they disliked their 
warders, would register next time as Protestants. 

One of my fellow-prisoners was poor Mabel Wilber- 
force, who had been convicted of perjury, and sen- 
tenced to nine months' imprisonment, for doing about 
what is considered as the proper and honorable thing 
for men who are co-respondents in divorce-suits. She 
complained of being cold for want of sufficient cloth- 
ing, especially at night, and was considered fault-find- 
ing and troublesome. Then she accused her warder of 
drinking ; but> when she was summoned before the 



386 -TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

commissioners, it was shown that the warder had a 
good reputation in the prison, and Mabel was defeated, 
and placed under Miss Henschell, one of the severest 
and most inhuman warders in the place. For what 
were considered groundless complaints, she was kept 
about half the time in the solitary confinement of the 
padded cells, on bread and water, until she became thin, 
pale, desperate, and an utter wreck, — so weak that 
she could scarcely stand. One day when a kind officer 
had taken her down into the yard, and said to her, 
Poor child, try to keep up," she answered, " Oh, 
for God's sake, don't speak to me in that way ! I 
have not had a kind word said to me in this prison, and 
I cannot bear it." 

She tried to commit suicide by putting her handker- 
chief round her neck, and tying it to the gas-pipe, but 
was seen by her officer, and kept several days in a 
strait-jacket ; that is, laced up in a sack night and day, 
and so kept, when very ill. Her bed was taken from 
her during the clay ; and, bolt upflght, she had to endure, 
with some management, this terrible torture. She after- 
ward was admitted to the sick-cells, and given a better 
diet. She was young, prett} 7 , and clever, but seemed 
also vain, frivolous, and ambitious ; but for this should 
she have been so punished ? 

I had been condemned to twelve months' imprison- 
ment with hard labor. Had I been guilty of half that 



PRISONERS AND PRISON-LIFE. 337 

was charged against me, it would have been far too 
light a punishment. For much smaller offences, men 
and women are sent for from five to ten years to penal 
servitude. My inference is, that Mr. Justice Hawkins 
did not believe me guilty. He is not in the habit of 
giving people less than their deserts. 

The " hard labor " atTothill Fields is rather a myth. 
There is very little oakum -picking. The cell- work of 
assorting waste-paper is very light. The laundry, the 
working in the cook-house, and what are called the 
"places of trust," are the only hard labor. I did a 
little knitting, because I liked it, and I took care of 
my chapel, but not an hour's hard labor during the 
twelve months. 

Such a prison ought to be a reformatory school. 
But what can be done with short sentences constantly 
repeated ? "Women who get drunk and noisy are sent 
for from five to twenty-one days. They manage to 
make acquaintances ; and one who was sentenced for 
four months sent so many girls to her house of ill fame, 
that she said it was the best four months' work she 
had ever clone. 

What is needed is classification according to the 
sentences. Now a woman of forty, who has served 
two hundred and forty-six sentences, may be put in 
the next cell to a young girl sent for the first time. 
She gets next her at exercise, sits by her at chapel, 



338 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

talks during the singing. A sweetly pretty girl who 
had the misfortune to get tipsy on a bank holiday, and 
became riotous, and broke a window, was sent for 
three months. A procuress in the next cell got her to 
become an inmate of her house as soon as she was 
released. 

My own cell was between the cells of two noted 
thieves. One had served two, and the other three, 
terms of penal servitude. Some spend more time in 
the prison than out of it, and seem to prefer the free- 
dom from care and the more orderly life. The ward- 
ers think all prisoners ought to be equally contented. 

My warder was very good to me. She looked at 
my hands, and said, " You don't look as if you could 
do hard work. Can you knit? " — " Yes." — " Can 
you sew?" — "Yes." — " Which can you do best?" 
— " Whichever j^ou please ; but, if it is all the same, 
I would prefer the knitting." 

But I soon went to the chapel. There was some 
really hard work, — scrubbing, dusting, and making 
it as clean as it ought to be ; but, this being done by 
another, I had only to oversee the work, and dress the 
altar w T ith the flowers that came every Saturday and 
the vigils of holidays of obligation. I also kept the 
priest's vestments in order, and was very happy to 
have such work to do and to be able to do it. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 



SPIRITS IN PRISON. 



I have tried to give a general idea of nry position 
as a prisoner before relating some of my special expe- 
riences as a Spiritualist. Doubtless the question comes 
into the mind of the reader, " Why did j'our guardian 
spirits, so wise and so powerful, allow you to go to 
prison at all? Surely they could have protected you 
from such a misfortune." 

This opens up a very large question. Why are men 
made liable to physical and moral evils? Why are 
not all protected and saved from errors, vices, and 
crimes ? What is the divine purpose of evil and sin 
and suffering? 

I received Mrs. Hart-Davies as a friend and sister, 
because, at the time, it seemed to me to be my duty 
to do so. Spirits are not infallible : it may be that 
they see what will in the end be for the greatest good. 
When I was accused of crime in England, after being 
cleared of all such imputation in America, I felt it to 
be my duty to come and meet the accusation at what- 

339 



340 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

ever peril to myself . It seemed to me that it was a 
duty to mj'self, to my friends, and to the cause of 
Spiritualism. Therefore I came, not thinking about 
its being heroic or quixotic. 

I believed also that I had the protection of wise and 
good spirits, who would help me to do what was best. 
A few nights before I was sentenced, I was visiting 
with some friends. Mr. H. Bastian, the medium, was 
one of them, and we had what is called a seance. 
Several spirits came and talked with us. One whom 
I have often seen and heard and felt, and whom I 
recognize as one of the sweetest and loveliest, wisest 
and best, came in her beautiful form, and beckoned to 
me to come near to her. I went forward and sat upon 
a sofa, when she came and put the soft white veil 
that covered her head also over mine, kissed me on 
both eyelids, and gave me some words of comfort to 
strengthen me for the coming trial. In her earthly 
life she had experienced misfortunes, as we call them, 
to which mine have been the merest trifles. She was 
maligned, imprisoned for mairy years, and then judi- 
cially murdered. I will not give her name ; but I felt 
greatly honored by her recognition and friendship, and 
hoped I should suffer my small inconveniences in some 
measure as she did her great martyrdom. 

After my sentence I spent, as I have said, my first 
night in Newgate. As I lay on the bed in my cell, a 



SPIRITS IX PRISON. 341 

little stunned and much wearied with what had been 
passing, — the eight consecutive days of the trial, and 
the five hours summing-up of the judge, — I heard 
"raps" all about me. I had thrown myself on the 
bed, too tired to undress. The sounds seemed to me 
a mockery. I did not feel like asking any questions. 

Then I felt a small hand come into mine, and a 
sweet little voice I knew — oh, so well ! — said, " Mam- 
ma, it will be better for you, dear, if you take off 
your clothes and go to bed." 

Coming in my utter desolation, this little voice was 
the sweetest music I ever heard. There were only two 
voices in the world that had the right to call me 
"mamma," — one, that of my boy in America; the 
other, that of m} T boy in heaven. 

"It doesn't matter about my clothes, darling," I 
said. " But I know you, bab}' dear, and it is so sweet 
of } t ou to come to me ! but I am afraid taking off my 
clothes will not bring me rest." 

Then I felt two little rosebud lips on m} T forehead, 
like dew ; then heard the little cheery voice, which 
said, "But you know, mamma dear, your clothes are 
tired, and you should give them rest." 

I rose and took off my clothes, and carefully spread 
them out to rest. I felt that they might indeed be 
tired. And the voice I knew and loved said, "Poor 
mamma's clothes are having a rest ; and now poor 
mamma's heart shall have a rest too." 



342 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

Then I saw clairvoyantly my beautiful boy kneeling 
at my bedside, praying for his mother. After a few 
moments of silence, he kissed me again, and said, " I 
am going to papa and dear brother ; and I will come 
back to-morrow, and tell you how they are." 

The ice melted from about my heart, the great thick 
stone walls were gone, my imprisonment was ended. 
I did not sleep in Newgate ; but I did sweetly rest — so 
rested in spirit as in body, that in the morning, when I 
said my prayers, I said one for the unhappy woman 
whose perjuries had brought me there. I said, "For- 
give us our trespasses, as we forgive them that have 
trespassed against us." 

Recording this experience reminds me of one I had 
at Clerkenwell Prison, where I was taken at my first 
remand at Bow Street, and before the magistrate had 
made up his mind to admit me to bail. 

When the warder opened the door of the cell 
assigned me, I saw the radiantly beautiful form of a 
woman pass into the cell before me, and turn round, 
and stretch out her arms to receive me. She wore a 
long rosary and crucifix at her girdle. She held out 
the crucifix to me. I fell on my knees, took it in my 
fingers, and kissed it. It was as tangible as any I ever 
touched. Then she said, — 

" You enter under the shadow of the cross : j'ou will 
go out into the sunshine. Meditate well upon the pas- 



SPIRITS IN PRISON. 343 

sion of our Lord, for when next you celebrate it your 
hour will have come." 

My next Easter Sunday was spent in prison. 

She bent over me, and kissed and blessed me, and 
left the cell, seeming to pass through the closed door ; 
and as she drew after her, fold upon fold, her white 
dress, it seemed as if she left wave upon wave of 
sweetness behind her, and my loneliness seemed peo- 
pled with love. 

Thus it was that the two prisons of Newgate and 
Clerkenwell became holy places in my memory, and 
my life, hard and bitter as it seemed, was filled with 
ineffable consolations. 

After the weary trial and my sweet night's rest in 
Newgate, I was taken by some special favor, as I have 
related, in a cab to Tothill Fields. When I had passed 
through the ordeal of the reception-room, and the 
female warder to whose custody I was committed had 
shown .me my cell, and then shut and locked my door, 
the turning of the key sounded like a farewell to the 
universe. I had been interested by the novelty of im- 
position and the strange persons and things about 
me ; but now all my world — sea. sky. pictures, music 
— all was in my cold, dark, lonely cell. 

In the first moments of isolation the shadow of all 
the coming year of loneliness fell over me. When the 
key turned, my heart sprang to my lips with a farewell 



844 TWELVE MONTHS IN PPwISON. 

to everybody and every thing, — home, husband, child, 
friends. It was like a living death of all I prized and 
loved. I threw nryself upon my knees on the cold, 
hard stone, and put out my hands as if to feel for the 
touch of some human hand to comfort me ; and there, 
again, I felt the little fingers touching mine ; and the 
little voice I had heard at Newgate said to me, — 

"Mamma, as, when I died, an angel came to tell 
you of your first work, and show you my resurrection, 
now at this second death a legion of angels comes to 
show you your second work and your own resurrection. 
Mamma dear, nobody has died, and nothing has died, 
but yourself." 

I heard no more, but I think I realized the meaning 
of w r hat I had heard. The feeling of vacillation, and 
the sense of being diffused throughout the world, left 
me ; and I felt as if this death was a white angel, that 
had taken off all my black garments, and given me new 
white robes, and shown me the use, as well as the use- 
lessness, of the w T orld. Just as all the bitterness of my 
trial came into the half -hour of parting with my friends, 
so were all the sufferings of my twelve months' impris- 
onment crowded into this first half-hour in my cell. 

During that afternoon I thought of the length of 
my imprisonment. If tw T o hours went so slowly, and 
seemed so long, how could I pass twelve months? The 
time seemed very long and very heavy. I took a pin, 



SPIRITS IX PRISON. 345 

and marked each half-hour by the striking of the great 
prison-clock. I did this till midnight. But it was very 
cold, and at last I lay down upon my hammock. As 
I lay there, when an hour had passed I saw a little 
beam of light come, and mark off the hour upon the 
wall. And from this time there was no night in which 
the hours were not so checked upon the wall ; and when 
the great clock was out of order, as it often was, and 
ceased to strike, the ray of light still marked each pass- 
ing hour. 

I wondered, the first night I saw this marking ray, 
whether it would come again, and watched for it ; so 
that this employed my mind, and made the time pass 
more easily. Once, watching intently for the ra} T , and 
feeling as if the hour would never pass, there came 
letters of golden light upon the white wall, forming this 
inscription : "The gate which shuts out the world gives 
the angels entrance." 

So passed the night, and so the shadows were lifted 
from my weary heart. I have often wondered if Mrs. 
Da vies' was not more heavy than was mine. 

The first time I went to the prison-chapel was on 
Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday. I 
fear I was not in a mood of resignation, or a religious 
mood of an}' kind. It seemed to me, that, if the good 
God had any power, among the many who had been 
unjust to me he might have found one soft, impressi- 



346 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

ble heart. A new, strange, painful bitterness came 
into my soul. I had pitied those who persecuted me : 
I was beginning to hate them. But, as the service 
continued, I felt that my proper attitude was one of 
resignation ; and, as I raised my eyes to the altar, above 
the crucifix there seemed to come a form of the living 
Christ, and from it came a voice so loud and clear, that 
I wondered every face was not upturned. It said, — 

u I to-day bear my share in the misery of the world: 
can you not for my sake wash this bitterness out of your 
heart?" 

I said " Yes," not only with my lips, but it seemed 
as if all my blood was in a revolution, and that even 
if I had a whole army against me, in my feelings, my 
prejudices, and this bitterness which seemed tome so 
gigantic, — at this moment the Christ-love entered my 
heart, and I hope my better soul became a victor over 
my poorer self. 

The prison did not seem so small after that, nor the 
poor women about me so hideous ; for I felt that the 
place where angels sweet and grand could come, was 
not utterly unfit for me, nor the women there wholly 
abandoned. 

During the service the raps that came about me 
were so loud and frequent, that my warder thought 
some of the women were making them, and peered 
about, and watched them. While she was doing this, 



SPIRITS IN PRISON. 347 

I mentally asked who was making the raps ; and, call- 
ing over the letters of the alphabet, the letters marked 
by the raps spelled this message : — 

44 This warder is my wife. Tell her that I am not 
dead, but here, and this place will seem to her less 
dreadful." 

Weeks afterward, when I had come to know her, I 
told her of this message. It was my first lesson to my 
warder in Spiritualism. 

Some days passed without any more direct commu- 
nication from spirits ; but my mind, and the whole 
place, seemed pervaded by their influence. 

For several days after I came to the prison, I could 
not eat. The food was very different from that to 
which I had been accustomed : I had no appetite, and 
could not bring myself to taste it. After nearly a week 
of this fasting, when I was becoming exhausted, I was 
wakened one night from a feverish sleep by feeling 
something in my mouth. I felt, and then pressed and 
tasted it. It was a ripe, delicious grape. Another and 
another were given me, until I had eaten a considerable 
cluster. In the morning the stalks, skins, and seeds 
were found by my warder lying on my table. She 
asked me how I had got the grapes. I told her the 
spirits had brought them. As she could see no other 
way, she thought I must be going insane ; but, not 
wishing to get into trouble, she was obliged to accept 
my explanation. 



348 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

One night, when between three and four weeks had 
passed, I thought, "Oh, dear me! when a month has 
passed, what a time will still remain! " And then I 
heard the spirit "Joey" (known to so many people 
all over the world through Mr. Eglinton), saying in 
his very peculiar and most welcome voice, — 

"Don't be down-hearted, Bertie! don't be down- 
hearted ! " 

The dear voice seemed to embrace and warm me. I 
said, — 

" Joey dear, I have been here only three weeks and 
a half, and it seems like eternity. If it w r ere only a 
month, it would be a twelfth part of the whole." 

"You have been here more than a month," said 
Joey. 

I thought he was joking, or that I had been crazy, 
and had lost my account of the time. 

Evidently " Joey "could read my thoughts ; for he 
said, — 

" If you don't believe me, look on your card." 

My card was a bit of pasteboard on the door of the 
cell, on which is inscribed the name of the prisoner, 
and her age, offence, and length of sentence. On 
looking at it next daj^, as directed by "Joey," I 
found, to my great surprise, that the term for which 
I had been sentenced began with the. opening of the 
sessions, March 27, instead of April 13, the day of 



SPIRITS IN PRISON. 349 

my conviction and sentence. The card stated that my 
term would end on March 27. Still feeling that there 
must be some mistake, I took the card to m} 7 warden, 
and she explained it. u Joey " was right ; and I had 
got through six weeks, instead of three weeks and a 
half. 

Some day I may have a fortune of a million pounds 
given to me, or I may become sovereign of some 
graud empire ; but I shall never again feel so rich 
or so grand as I did over the unexpected gain of 
those three weeks of my term of imprisonment. 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 



AN INSANE PRISONER. 



When I entered the prison, I was absorbed in my 
own sorrows and wrongs. I was very selfish, and had 
no time or space for the greater griefs and greater 
wrongs of so many others ; but, when I began to look 
about me, I found a new world, and soon came to 
think of others as well as of myself. My fellow-pris- 
oners were a new people to me, forming an entire new 
world, of which I had hitherto had no idea. I watched 
the faces of those I ? found, and of all new-comers. 
The coming of each new group of prisoners brought 
afresh the memory of my own conviction ; and, as each 
group departed, I fear I suffered a new pang in being 
left behind. 

One day there came into the prison a woman with a 
face so sad, so quiet in its depth of feeling, so unlike 
the faces of most of the prisoners, that I could not rid 
myself of the impression of deep grief it made upon 
me. As I knelt upon my stone floor that night, I saw 
on the other side of my hammock a human form so 
350 



AN INSANE PRISONER. 351 

real, seeming so tangible, so unlike a spirit, that I 
thought it must be a living woman. She was dressed 
in the poor, clean clothes of a respectable, neat work- 
ing-woman, and was engaged in saying her rosary, the 
beads passing through her thin ringers, and her lips 
moving with the prayers. 

I waited — I did not like to interrupt her — so I 
watched her, steadily passing bead after bead, and not 
seeming to see me at all. I heard her pronounce the 
name of " Mary ; " but, as that beautiful name occurs 
continually in the rosary, I waited until she had fin- 
ished. She rose and seemed about to leave me, when 
I reached over and touched her dress and said, " Are 
you a spirit?" 

She started as if she had not before seen me, then 
looked at me and at my prison-dress, and said, " Are 
you one of them? " 

" Yes/' I answered : " I am one of them, and very 
helpless. But, my good woman, you seem to be in 
trouble. Can I do any thing to help }'Ou? " 

She looked at me earnestly for a moment, and then 
said, — 

"Yes. Pray for her." 

" Pray for whom? " 

"Pray for Mary — for my child. She is innocent 
as a babe unborn ; yet they have put her into this 
dreadful place, and taken her children away from her, 



352 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

and sold her home, and she is going mad — mad — 
mad!" 

These words seemed to ring through the prison : so 
I said, " Hush ! somebody will hear you." 

She reached over, and clutched my dress. u You 
look sweet and good," she said ; "and I believe our 
Blessed Lady will hear you. Pray for her! Pray 
hard, pray hard ! " 

As she talked to me, the face that had so impressed 
me that day seemed to come to me again ; and I said, 
" Are you speaking of the woman in No. ? " 

" Oh, yes ! " she said. " She is my child — all the 
child I had in the world. When she was a baby in my 
arms, she was very ill, and I thought God was going 
to take her from me ; and now I wish he had, I wish 
he had. I cannot bear to see her suffer." 

This became dreadfully oppressive to me, it was 
so terribly sad. But soon a spirit-friend of mine came 
and put his arms about her, and the two soon disap- 
peared. 

I kept the sad story in my mind, and thought much 

of the poor prisoner in Number , but did not see 

her. She was in the tier of cells above mine, where 
we were never allowed to go. 

One day at the end of the week when this " vision " 
had come to me, while I was out of my cell, I heard a 
bell ring violently in that tier, and my warder asked 



AN INSANE PEISONER. 353 

me to go and see what was wanted. When I went up, 
I intended to make use of the opportunity to peep into 

Number ; but, when I reached the tier, I saw 

that it was Number 's bell that had rung, for the 

number had sprung out to show it. 

Peeping through the inspection-hole, I saw the wo- 
man. She had been picking oakum, and had gathered 
it into the skirt of her dress, and was walking about 
the cell, talking wildly. 

"Poor little Johnny ! " she said, holding out a 
wisp of the oakum, " he shall have this to play with." 

I remembered what the spirit had said, and, looking 
at the card, saw that the name was " Mary." I 
reported what I had seen to the warder, and my im- 
pression that the poor woman was mad. The warder 
went to see her, and on her return said, — 

"I am afraid she is losing her mind, poor thing. 
Her case is a very hard one. She has three little chil- 
dren, and when she was convicted they were sent to 
the workhouse. She is here for nine months. Her 
furniture was sold while she was in the prison at Clerk- 
enwell. The separation from her children preys upon 
her mind, and she spends her time making toys of the 
oakum for them to play with. 

u Her case was reported to the doctor ; and she was 
taken to the sick-cells, and pronounced insane. But 
there seems to have been some difference of opinion 



354 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

among the prison authorities ; for in a few days she 
was sent to the paper-prison, and set to sorting the 
waste-paper, working till eight o'clock in her cell by 
the gaslight." 

•One night the warder, making her rounds, smelt 
burning paper. Searching for the cause, she found 
that the poor mad woman had set her stock of paper 
on fire, so that her cell was in a blaze of light, and 
there she was sitting, throwing up the burning papers, 
and shouting, " Oh, the children will be delighted! The 
children will be delighted! " 

Of course she was sent back to the infirmary. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 



A VISIT TO MY HUSBAND. 



One day in midsummer I was taken with a great 
longing to see some friends, to escape from my monoto- 
nous environments. It was an uncontrollable, unap- 
peasable hunger of the soul, so intense that I could 
not think or will myself out of it. 

Suddenly, in the midst of this almost insane long- 
ing, there fell over me a great calm, a complete re- 
pose of emotion. I began to grow sleepy, but in this 
sleepiness there came violent palpitations of the heart. 
I was not surprised at this, it seemed the natural result 
of strong emotions. This state was soon followed by 
what seemed to me suspended circulation, so that I 
thought I was dying, and soon became unconscious. 

I have no means of knowing how long I remained 
so ; but when I found myself, my real self, as I thought 
or felt, I was in a room with two gentlemen. One of 
them was nr^ husband ; the other, a stranger to me. Of 
course my first impulse was to rush into my husband's 
arms, but I could not do so. I seemed to have no 

355 



356 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

power to control my movements, and began to be 
doubtful of my condition. For a few moments the 
desire to get near him, and the impossibility of doing 
so, gave me a very painful sensation. It seemed like 
being buried alive, and hearing one's friends moving 
away from the grave. 

But, as this sensation w r as growing unbearable, I saw 
one of my spirit-friends whom we call "Dewdrop." 
She cried out, " Now you see what kind of difficulties 
we spirits get into sometimes, and you must find out 
that when we can't do wdiat w<e like we must do what 
w r e can. Come, tottle along, and we will have a 
seance. 79 

In my "double," as this separation of the spirit 
from the body is called, I seemed to myself as much a 
spirit as she w r as. She took my hand, and led me to 
a table at w T hich the stranger was sitting. I sat in 
one of the chairs, while " Dewdrop " reclined grace- 
fully on the centre of the table, and began making 
"passes," gently moving her hands, over the table 
and me and the gentleman. These " passes " seemed 
to etherealize, so to speak, every thing about her, 
until she and the table seemed to grow light as air, 
oscillating with the aerial movements. I found it diffi- 
cult to stay in my chair. As the table moved, I heard 
the gentleman say to my husband, — 

"Oh! spirits here, Fletcher. Come and sit clown, 
and let us see what they have to say to us." 



A VISIT TO MY HUSBAND. 357 

As my husband started to come to the table, I 
wished very much that he would come and sit by me. 
Instead of that, he sat by the gentleman who had 
called him. As he sat down, he put his hands upon 
the table, and immediately I saw a change in the color 
of the aura surrounding it ; and, instead of its being 
like a filmy cloud, rays of light, which seemed as solid 
as metallic wires, came from his fingers, and spread 
across the table. 

" Dewdrop," leaving her perch, came round to my 
side, and placed her fingers upon these points of light. 
As she did this, the oscillations of the table ceased, 
and she said, — 

u Lines all ready. Would you like to send a mes- 
sage ? ' ' 

Though I knew my husband could not see me, I yet 
foolishly felt hurt that he did not speak to me ; and I 
did not at all fancy the awkward, undignified, slow 
way of rapping out a message to him letter by letter, 
when he ought to have come round to me. It seemed 
impossible for me to go through the stupid process of 
telegraphing to him across a table. I felt as if I would 
rather go away. 

" Quiet, quiet!" said my pretty "Dewdrop." 
" Don't } t ou see the cross-lines? You are getting too 
positive." 

I had put my hands unconsciously on the table ; 



358 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

and I now saw lines from my hands crossing those 
coming from my husband's. 

"Oh! won't there be a row?" said "Dewdrop." 
"Bad conditions; no seance! Harry will be in such 
a temper ! " 

u Who is Harry? " I asked. 

u That's Harry," said she, pointing to the stranger; 
44 and he is our medium." 

When she said this, the thought came to me, if I am 
interrupting conditions, I must go away ; only I could 
not go. 

After a few minutes of this suspense, the medium 
said to Mr. Fletcher, "I wonder what the trouble is. 
Ask some questions, Fletcher : let us see what's up." 

What came next seemed very droll to me. Mr. 
Fletcher bent over the table, and said, " Dear spirits, 
are any of you present? " 

No response. 

After a moment's silence, he said, 44 I thought I 
heard raps." 

"No!" said the medium, in a big, rough voice. 
44 My raps are raps. When they come, you can't mis- 
take them for the creaking of a table." 

In my amusement at the recollection of seances I 
had attended, I forgot myself, and became less 44 posi- 
tive ; " and the lines from my fingers moved round, 
and became parallel with the others. As they did so, 



A VISIT TO MY HUSBAXD. 359 

" Dewdrop " reached over, and put her fingers on the 
lines, like a telegraph-operator ; and loud, full, vigor- 
ous raps responded to her touch. 

" Oh, they have come! " said my husband. "Is it 
any friend of mine.? " 

(Three raps for yes.) 

"Who is it?" 

(Five raps for alphabet), and my husband began 
to say his A B C's ; and the raps marking the let- 
ters spelled out, " D-e-w-d-r-o-p." As the word was 
spelled out, she turned to me with, — 

" Keep your ears open for the next question." 

" O Dewdrop ! have you seen Bertie? " 

(Three raps.) 

"Is she well?" 

"I should like awfully to tell a crammer; but I 
can't," said "Dewdrop" in an aside to me. Then 
she rapped out, — 

"Not very, but getting better fast," with a trium- 
phant look on her little face at the idea of giving him 
comfort. 

I had forgotten how he had neglected me just now, 
and' wished only that he should be comforted : so I 
reached over, and tried to work the wires, so as to 
send him a message, but did not succeed. 

"In Heaven's name, 'Dewdrop,'" I said, "can't 
you manage so that I can say a word to him? " 



360 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

"Be patient a little minute, and I will see what I 
can do for you." 

She disappeared, and instantly returned with one of 
the most beautiful men I ever saw. He went directly 
to the medium. 

u Dewdrop " put up her finger. "Don't ask any 
questions," she said. u He is a mystic. " 

I neither spoke nor moved, and saw him take from 
under his loose robe, and place upon the table, some- 
thing like a kernel of rice. Leaving it there for some 
moments, he picked it up, and seemed to insert it 
under the nail of the medium's forefinger. He then 
made five raps on the table ; and, as the alphabet was 
called, he rapped out the word, — 

"S-1-a-t-e." 

The medium sprang to his feet, saying, " There is a 
most tremendous influence here. I must write." 

He took a slate from the sideboard, and held it in 
his right hand, higher than his head, but over the head 
of Mr. Fletcher. 

" Now is your chance," said "Dewdrop." " And 
don't waste time, for this influence don't last long." 

" Why not put the slate 'upon the table?" I said. 
" I can't write on it up there." 

44 Can't have it down here," said she : " the atmos- 
phere is too dense. You must climb up." And, as 
if in obedience to nay desire, I began to float slowly 



A VISIT TO MY HUSBAND. 861 

toward the slate. As I did so, the medium changed 
the slate to his left hand. I put my hands upon his 
head without knowing why I did so. I seemed sus- 
pended in mid-air, and liable to fall. I went to write, 
but I had no pencil. " Dewey " had vanished. Then 
the medium said, ■ — 

" This is apparently some spirit that does not know 
how to write. — Dear spirit, if you will take my fore- 
finger for a pencil, you can write." 

I took his finger, and wrote, " Darling Willie, I am 
not very ill, nor very unhappy ; but I do want you 
very, very much. Bertie." 

The influence left me ; and I came rapidly to the 
ground, close to his feet. As the medium lowered the 
slate, he said, — 

"Fletcher, this is the spirit of some living person 
who has written this message. I can always tell the 
difference between the embodied and the disembodied 
spirit. " 

My husband took the slate. He recognized the hand- 
writing, and read the message. As he read it, he burst 
into sobs, and cried, u O my Bertie, Bertie!" and, 
pushing the slate toward the medium, he said, — 

" This message is from my wife ! " 

I wrapped my arms around him. I tried to comfort 
him. As I did this, the " mystic " came, and touched 
me on the shoulder, and said, — 



362 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

" Little woman, you must come back. If anima- 
tion is any longer suspended, your body will die." 

I went back. How, I cannot say ; bow long it took 
me to return, I cannot say. It seemed that I must go, 
and I went. 

I woke to find myself tying on the stone floor of my 
cell, where my body must have fallen when my spirit 
left it ; and I had the feeling that the few inches of 
clay, my body, was a very small world to live in, and 
that I now knew something of the difficulties the hosts 
of spirits who visit mediums encounter in trying to 
communicate with their friends. I thought I should 
never again sit in a seance without feeling a greater 
sympathy and a deeper charity for the sufferings of 
spirits and the so-called failures of mediums. 

When I next heard from Mr. Fletcher, who had the 
privilege of writing to me at stated periods, I received 
from him a full and circumstantial confirmation of this 
experience. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

FLOWERS BROUGHT TO MY CELL. A LOCK OF HAIR 

AND A LETTER. 

I know very well that great numbers of persons seem 
incapable of believing such relations as I am compelled 
to give. Some have a natural, perhaps hereditary, 
incredulity ; some are committed to forms of belief or 
unbelief which shut out all spirit-manifestations as 
impossible. Of course no materialist can believe in 
the existence of spirits, and a great many Christians 
hold that every thing supernatural ceased at the end 
of the apostolic age. The u greater things' ' that are 
to "follow them that believe" are to come in the 
millennium of a far future. But I have nothing to do 
with men's beliefs or unbeliefs, or even their capacity 
to believe. I have onty to give a true account of my 
own experience, without reticence or exaggeration. 
My simple mission is to be a witness of the truth. I 
know that there are now some millions in the world 
who can believe me, and many who will. 

363 



364 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

One morning, before I woke, one of my spirit-friends 
came, and said to me, u Be very particular about your 
bathing this morning, and don't take any food to-day. 
It will be better that you do not." 

I was accustomed to fasting. I did not eat for sev- 
eral days after I came into the prison, and several 
times fasted three or four days, taking only a little 
water. 

All this day I felt very quiet, and stronger and better 
than usual, which made me think my friends were doing 
something for me which was of more substantial bene- 
fit than any food could be. 

At about half-past five p.m. I felt impelled to go to 
the chapel and say my prayers, feeling that there, in 
that narrow compass, I was resting in the arms of some 
one who understood me ; and, as I knelt there in perfect 
peace, I felt something touch my face, and inhaled a 
strong odor of mignonette, but saw nothing. I was 
not surprised, for it seemed as if air^ sweet thing might 
come there. 

When I had finished my devotions, I returned to my 
cell, and went early to bed. At about ten o'clock my 
cell seemed suddenly filled with light ; and, standing 
in this light, I saw the spirit called " Ernest," holding 
in his hand a little bouquet of violets and heliotrope. 
Giving them to me, he said, — 

" I have brought you these flowers from dear Mrs. 



FLOWERS BROUGHT TO MY CELL. 365 

Nichols and Mrs. Western (of London) with their love. 
There was a spray of mignonette which we gave to 
Marie Therese, and which she has placed upon the 
altar. You caught its perfume to-day : and to-morrow, 
if you search, you will find the flower." 

I reached over to grasp his hand, and take the 
rs : and he bent down, and tenderly kissed me 
on my forehead. I kissed him twice upon his lips, 
and told him to take my kisses, my love, and my grate- 
ful thanks, to the dear friends who had sent me the 
flowers. I hid them in my bosom, and kept the dried 
leaves and petals in my cell as long as I remained in 
prison. 

Next day I searched in the chapel for the spray of 
mignonette, and found it at the foot of the crucifix. 
I thought I could safely take this to my warder, and 
tell her where I had found it. Looking at me earnest- 
ly, she said. "Perhaps your angel brought it." I 
.lit how much wiser the little woman was than she 
knew. 

I heard a little later from Mrs. Nichols. She said, 
••Mrs. Western and I have prepared a little bouquet 
of flowers ; and • Ernest ? has taken them away, and 
promised to give them to you if possible. The B] 
of mignonette and the heliotrope were my contribu- 
tion : the violets, Mrs. Western's." What better cor- 
roboration could be had than this I 



366 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

One night, between nine and ten o'clock, "Ernest" 
came to me in my cell, and said, "I want to give 
a test to a friend of yours who is very sceptical, 
and who wishes me to bring him something from 
you." 

" Dear ' Ernest,' " I said, u I have nothing to send 
him but my clothes or my hair." 

"It is a lock of your hair I want," he said ; " but 
it may exhaust you a good deal for me to take it. Are 
you willing I should do so? " 

"Certainly," I replied, having no idea how taking 
a lock of my hair could do me any harm. 

He took from beneath his robe something like a 
poniard, and, lifting a little lock of my hair, quickly 
severed it, and disappeared. At the stroke it seemed 
as if my heart stopped beating. 

Some time after, when I was relating this with other 
experiences to a friend, he said, "Did you know to 
whom that lock of hair was taken ? " — " Not in the 
least," I answered. He took a lock of long hair from 
his pocket-book, and placed it beside mine, with which 
it perfectly corresponded in color and texture. There 
was no doubt of its identity ; and he told me of a won- 
derful seance he had had with a medium, a friend of 
mine, when, in answer to a mental wish that some-, 
thing might be brought from me, this lock of hair was 
placed in his hand. He did not mention the fact to 



FLOWERS BROUGHT TO MY CELL. 367 

the other persons present at the seance; but, comparing 
the time with my account, he found that the transfer, 
at some miles distance, must have been almost instan- 
taneous. It was pretty certain that " Ernest " did not 
travel by cab or rail. 

I regret that I cannot give the names of persons in 
this case, as I do in most cases : but my friend occu- 
pies a position in wliich he might have some annoy- 
ance ; and I have always, at whatever risk or loss, 
carefully refrained from bringing an}' trouble to others. 
Persons in high positions may be far from occupying 
independent positions. There are some whose influ- 
ence, I have sometimes thought, might have saved me 
from some suffering ; but, if so, it was theirs to offer, 
and not mine to claim. " Noblesse oblige! " 

At about seven o'clock in the evening of one day 
when I had felt that I must fast, " Ernest " came to 
me in my cell, and said, — 

" Dear friend, I wish you to be very quiet ; as, owing 
to your not having taken food to-day, I find you in a 
good condition for manifestations." 

" O ' Ernest ! ' " I said, " what do you want to do 
to-night?" 

u Keep perfectly quiet and you will see." 

He disappeared ; and soon there came three spirits, 
bringing with them a crucible from which arose a 
flame. They set it on my table. 



868 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

I spoke to them, and asked what they were doing; 
but they made no response. They seemed to be doing 
something with their fingers over the crucible. In a 
few minutes " Ernest" returned, and asked the other 
spirits, " Is every thing ready? " Receiving an affirm- 
ative answer, he said, " Every thing to-night seems 
favorable to our attempt at recreation." 

My cell was one of the dark ones, and at five o'clock 
was dark enough for any manifestation. People quar- 
rel with dark seances. They want every thing in the 
light. But they must darken rooms for photography, 
for the magic-lantern, for the solar-microscope ; and 
chemists find that some gases .can only be kept in 
darkness, because a ray of light causes an explosion. 
Spirit-lights can only be seen in a dark room. It 
seems best to allow the spirits to choose their own 
conditions for doing their own work. 

The three spirits with the crucible vanished, and 
44 Ernest." said, — 

4 4 I wish you to write a note that I can take to one 
who is present at our seance to-night at Dr. Nichols's. 
He is now a stranger to you, but in the future you 
will make his acquaintance." 

I asked the name, and it was given to me. 

44 But, 4 Ernest,' " I said, " how can I write a note? 
I have neither paper, pencil, nor light: how can I 
write?" 



FLOWEES BROUGHT TO MY CELL. 369 

He pointed to a book on the table, and said, " Take 
a blank leaf from that, and I will return presently with 
a pencil." 

He was gone perhaps a minute, and came bringing 
a common lead pencil and a light in the form of a 
luminous cross, — a soft pure light, like that of the 
planets. He gave me the pencil, and held the cross 
while I wrote on the fly-leaf of the book a brief mes- 
sage, which "Ernest" took, and quickly vanished. 
But before he went I said, " ; Ernest' dear, where did 
you get this pencil? " 

"Took it without leave," he answered; u and I 
shall leave it with you to return." 

My first idea was to conceal it, as prisoners are not 
allowed to have such things ; but, as we and our cells 
were thoroughly searched every week, I knew it would 
be found. So I left it on the table. 

Next morning, when my warder entered the cell, she 
saw the pencil, and asked where I got it. I thought 
the best way was to tell her the truth : so I said, u One 
of my angels brought it." 

She smiled incredulously and said, " Then we ought 
to detain your angel, for he has stolen my pencil." She 
looked at it. " That is my pencil," she said, " which 
I certainly locked up in my table-drawer when I left 
the prison last night, I don't know any thing about 



370 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

angels ; but I know that that is my pencil, and I had 
better not find it in your possession again." l 

1 On the night of the 23d of September, 1881, there was a seance at my 
house, 32 Fopstone Road, South Kensington, which is about two miles "as 
the crow flies," from the Tothill Fields prison. The medium was Mr. Wil- 
liam Eglinton; and one of the sitters was Mr. Sweeney, Esq., then residing 
at Paris, and staying with us, while making a business-visit to London. 

After some manifestations, Mr. Eglinton, sitting next to Mr. Sweeney, 
asked him to put his hands together, palm to palm, so as to make an imper- 
vious casket. He did so, and Mr. Eglinton strengthened it by clasping his 
own hands over those of Mr. Sweeney. In a few moments, during which 
the hands of the medium seemed to clasp Mr. Sweeney's with convulsive 
energy, they were suddenly removed, and he said to Mr. Sweeney, " Open 
your hands." He did so, and lying on the palm of one of them was a folded 
paper about two inches square. It was passed across the table to me. I 
opened it out, a half of a leaf, which might have been torn from a book, 
on which was written in pencil, in the to me well-known hand of Susan 
Willis Fletcher, the following words : — 

8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23, 1881. 

My stranger Friend, — Professor Hare and "Ernest" have told me 
of your kindly feeling and good wishes, and that you will be glad to receive 
a message through their agency. 

Your sympathy is to my spirit what the dew is to parched flowers. 
God bless you ! 

Susan Willis Fletcher. 

On a corner of the reverse is written, — 

Please, dear " Ernest," to carry this to Mr. Sweeney, who, you say, is at 
Mrs. Nichols's, and oblige 

Bertie. 

I certify that I was a witness of the facts above recorded, and the paper 
is,now in my possession. 

T. L. NICHOLS, M.D. 

Aug. 1, 1882. 



CHAPTER XL. 

INSTANTANEOUS TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS BETWEEN LON- 
DON AND CALCUTTA.- — MANIFESTATIONS OF SPIRIT- 
POWER. 

On the 26th of November, 1881, at six o'clock p.m., 
"Ernest" came to me in my cell, with his cross of 
light, and said, " Get ready to write. I want a long 
letter ; and, as you must write rapidly, we shall help 
you to write it." 

Of course I had to say, as before, that I had no 
writing-materials. " We have provided for that," he 
said, and produced a lead pencil and three sheets of 
thin foreign note-paper. 

" To whom am I to write? " I asked. 

"Look at the corner of the paper, and you will 
see." 

I looked, and found the name of a friend of mine, 
also a pet name he had given to me, which was known 
to no other person ; and both names w^ere written in his 
own handwriting, as familiar to me as my own. 

I began to write. My hand was controlled, so that 

371 



372 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

I wrote almost as rapidly as I thought ; yet it was my 
own handwriting. After I began to write, the cell 
seemed flooded with light ; and in the very corner of 
the cell I distinctly saw the form of Mr. Eglinton, the 
medium. 

I filled the three sheets in a little more than a quar- 
ter of an hour. There was one little interruption. 
When I had about half finished, the lead of the pencil 
broke; but instantly "Ernest," with a movement of 
his fingers in the air, produced a short piece of pencil 
with which I finished my letter. 

When it was completed, " Ernest" took the paper 
in one hand, and placed the other on my head, hold- 
ing it there for a moment, and said, in words I seem 
to perfectly remember, — 

" Bertie dear, at present, in this world, there is no 
redress for your great wrongs ; but Heaven has consti- 
tuted itself a court of appeal, in which God sits as 
your judge, and the angels as your jurors ; and, while 
you are suffering here, your mediumship shall be estab- 
lished, and, ere many years have passed, the verdict 
of Heaven on j^our character shall be adopted by the 
world. Love God, be faithful to us, be kind to every 
living creature, and victory shall be yours." 

He vanished with the luminous cross, the cloud of 
light, the message I had written to my friend, and, 
what was sweeter than all, the warmth of his own dear 



TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS. 373 

presence, but leaving with me a stronger heart, a 
deeper faith, and an abiding courage. 

Before sunrise on the morning of Nov. 28 I again 
saw the light which usually heralded the approach of 
my spirit- friends ; and I soon saw " Ernest," and the 
beautiful feminine spirit who calls herself "Violet." 
She came to my hammock, turned down the clothing, 
and placed a little square packet over my heart. 
"Read and be comforted," she said, and pressed her 
lips upon my forehead ; when both disappeared. 

In the morning, as soon as it was light enough, I 
opened the packet, and read and was comforted. It 
was a letter from the friend to whom I had written the 
long letter on the evening of the 26th, acknowledging 
its reception, and replying to its contents. 

My friend, Mr. I. E. Mengens, to whom I had writ- 
ten, was then at his home in Calcutta, India. Mr. 
Egiinton was then staying with him, being on a visit 
to India. The sheets of paper bore his stamp ; and 
the one on the corner of which he had written, Mr. 
Egiinton, as I have since learned, carried for two or 
three clays in his pocket, and then placed in a book. 
The paper was removed from the book by my spirit- 
friend u Joey," who took two more sheets from a writ- 
ing-desk, because one was not enough, and gave them 
to " Ernest," who brought them to me. 

I have given the particulars of the letter of Nov. 



374 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

26, because this was one of the most remarkable in- 
stances I know of the exercise of spirit-power in this 
direction. The carrying of articles for moderate dis- 
tances and with immense rapidity is a common phe- 
nomenon. Space and time seem to be quite different 
to spirits from what they are to us. With them — 

" Stone walls do not a prison make, 
Nor iron bars a cage." 

The passing of matter through matter is a common 
phenomenon. Books, masses of flowers, etc., are 
brought into perfectly closed rooms, in spite of locked 
doors and shuttered windows. Carrying letters and 
similar articles several thousand miles over land and 
sea in a few moments of time has not been so fre- 
quent. 

The letter to Mr. Mengens of Nov. 26 was not the 
first. I had written to him, on the 13th of January, 
a letter to be sent by post. On the 20th, when it had 
been only a week on the way, it was brought to him 
in Calcutta. It bore the stamps and dates of the post- 
office, and must have been taken from one of her 
Majesty's letter-bags on the mail-steamer. Mr. Men- 
gens was in bed, when he was told to turn down the 
clothes, and find the letter. His testimony, and that 
of his brother, Mr. Marc Mengens, and of Mr. Egiin- 
ton, to the facts respecting the instantaneous transmis- 



TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS. 375 

sion of letters between London and Calcutta cannot be 
impeached. 

I must now give what may seem to many readers a 
more extraordinary experience, which may have been 
in some way preparatory to those just related. 

On the morning of the 20th of November " Ernest" 
came to me, and said, " Have something ready for us 
to-night at seven o'clock." He said he wished to give 
a test of spirit-power, and would try to take a letter 
from me to India. Xow, I knew that Calcutta was 
more than five thousand miles distant, with between 
five and six hours difference of time between us. 
That a spirit could be where he willed to be in a mo- 
ment, " in the twinkling of an eye," I could believe ; 
but that a letter, or any material object, could be con- 
veyed five or six thousand miles instantaneously, or 
like a flash of light, or with the rapidity of the elec- 
tric-telegraph, was not easy to believe. After all I 
had experienced, I did not realize the power of spirit 
over matter. When "Ernest" came at night, I had 
not written, and I had to confess my doubt and my 
neglect. 

He smiled very wisely, and said, " I knew you 
would not have it ready : so I have made other arrange- 
ments. Go to bed now, and try to go at once to 
sleep." 

He vanished, and I went to bed as he desired ; and, 



376 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

which was very unusual, fell at once into a profound 
slumber. I seldom got to sleep before three a.m. 

I slept until about ten p.m., when I again saw 
" Ernest," who began to make passes all down my 
body, and I began to feel as I did before, when my 
spirit went away from it. In a little time I lost all 
consciousness. I do not know how long this uncon- 
sciousness lasted ; but the first thing I knew was, that I 
was in a room quite strange to me, where five persons 
were seated at a table. There may have been more, 
for there were what seemed to me blank spaces.- 

" Ernest" was with me, and said, " As you would 
not do your writing at home, perhaps you will do it 
here. We who work only for results do not mind using 
what may seem very undignified means : so perhaps 
you will not object to getting under this table. We 
have established our batteries there, and it is the only 
place that will serve 3-011 for a writing-desk." 

I did as I was directed, and went under what he 
called the table ; but it looked like a little workshop, 
w T ith batteries, crucibles, and other apparatus, two 
books, and pencils. But in trying to enter this place 
I found an impediment. u Ernest " smiled, and said, 
" The strongest things are not visible. You will find 
that true the world over ; but, as these are only mag- 
netic wires for the protection of our conditions, I think 
we shall soon find an entrance." 



TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS. 377 

As he ceased speaking, the impediment was removed. 
Once inside, I saw the barrier, like a thin plate of iron, 
dense and solid now, but from the outside invisible. 
" Ernest," who seemed to do easily whatever he willed, 
produced a light, and gave me pen and paper, and I 
wrote my letter. I supposed it was to be given to the 
person to whom it was addressed, who was one of 
the sitters at the table ; but no sooner was it finished 
than " Ernest" said most peremptorily, " You must 
come back at once : we have already kept you too long 
from your bod}'." 

"While I had been there, manifestations had been 
going on around the table. I saw " Joe}'," and also 
two very exalted spirits, and could hear " Joey" talk- 
ing, and at times he came into the little workshop.. 
I could also very plainly hear the exclamations of the 
sitters. 

In the midst of this my spirit-friend " Dewdrop " 
peeped in, and said, " Oh ! I want you to know Mrs. 
Cheetham, she is such a nice little medium ! and 
Mrs. Gordon, who will in the future be among your 
best friends." 

I thought she referred to two ladies sitting at the 
table. Those whom I knew already were Mr. Eglin- 
ton the medium, and Mr. Mengens, to whom I had 
written my letter, which I left under the table when 
"Ernest" took me away. Instantly, as it seemed to 



378 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

me, I was in my cell, and saw mj T body lying in my 
hammock. It seemed bad enough to re-enter my cell, 
so small, so cold and dismal ; but the idea of re-enter- 
ing my body was still more repugnant. It was doubly 
a prison, a prison in a prison ; and I refused to go. 
No one can understand what I felt who has not had 
a similar experience, and known how imprisoned a 
free spirit can be in its " tenement of clay." It was 
so unpleasant to me, that when "Ernest" urgently 
appealed to me to exercise my will to re-enter and 
re-animate my body, I told him I had no such inclina- 
tion, and could not will it. 

" Ernest" seemed disturbed and agitated, and sum- 
moned six other spirits to his aid. I recognized one 
of them as my husband's M control," " Winona." 
These spirits seemed to magnetize my body. Probably 
only a few seconds elapsed, but it seemed an hour, 
when I began to feel that I should not be obliged to 
re-enter my body ; and this feeling was accompanied 
by such an atmosphere of sweetness and exhilaration, 
and such a calm, placid happiness as I had not felt 
since I left my husband in America, and came to meet 
my trial in London. But as my happiness increased, 
so did the trouble of " Ernest ; " and he held a little 
conference with u Winona," wiien she quickly dis- 
appeared. 

Every instant I grew more light, more buoyant. 



TRANSMISSION OF LETTERS. 379 

The prison-walls vanished, and I could see sky and 
moon and stars ; clouds did not impede my vision ; and 
beyond them were legions of angels, and I felt a 
strong desire to join them, which seemed very easy to 
do ; for I felt myself rising, rising, in an ecstasy of 
freedom, which no one can ever feel whose feet have 
not been raised from off the earth by this soul eleva- 
tion. This earth, and all its conditions and relations, 
seemed annihilated, as if the whole quality of my mind 
had been changed. Even the memory of earthly ex- 
periences seemed fading out of my mind. 

But as I rose in the air I saw myself still connected, 
by a line of light fine as a silken thread, to my poor 
body. It became finer and finer, lengthening as I rose. 

While in this perfect enhancement of freedom, I saw 
" Winona," and with her my husband. He seemed 
to look at my body, and take it in his arms. He cried, 
" O Bertie, Bertie ! come back to me ! Are you really 
dead? Has that hideous woman become your mur- 
deress? " 

He held my poor body closer to his heart, and kissed 
nry face, and I wondered how he could caress so poor 
a thing as my cast-off -body. But, as he continued to 
implore me to come back, I felt the little line of light 
tighten, and then it seemed to be pulling at my heart. 
My inclination to reach him became stronger than my 
desire to go to the angels ; and so my spirit glided 



380 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

back into my body, and I found myself alone in my 
cell. 

This was on the 20th of November. At Christmas, 
in accordance with prison-rales, I received a letter 
from my husband, in which he gave me an account of 
his lectures, and in which he wrote : — 

" Sometimes I have thought that evil spirits were conspiring 
with our enemies to torture and destroy us. On the 20th of 
November, when I was reading a book you gave me, late at 
night, suddenly ' Winona ' came to me, and said, ' Shut your 
eyes, Willie, and go to sleep. You have read long enough.' I 
put down my book, closed my eyes, and instantly I seemed to 
be in a little white stone cell, and you seemed to be there; but 
I thought you were dead. I folded you in my arms, and cried 
aloud to you to come back ; but it seemed as if you would 
never come. At last I fell on my knees, and felt that that 
hideous woman had been your murderess; and I called out in 
despair, ' O'God ! why hast thou forsaken me ? ' At last I felt 
your breath upon my cheek; and, bursting into tears of joy at 
your restoration, I felt myself whirled through the air by 
4 Winona,' and then resting upon my bed. As she was passing 
from the room, she said, ' You have saved Bertie's life; but we 
were obliged to take you away from her, for she can bear no 
more.' What can it mean? Are you ill ? or was it only a vision 
sent to torture me ? * 



CHAPTER XLI. 



FURTHER EXPEREEXCES. 



Ox the night before Mr. Eglinton departed for 
India, "Ernest '' came to me and said, "I want my last 
work in London before we go to be for Dr. and Mrs. 
Nichols ; and I wish yon to write a note to one of them 
to-day, and place it beneath the altar in the chapel. 
Write to the other also, as near noon to-morrow as 
circumstances will permit, and put it in the same place. 
I will take them when I can." I did as directed. At 
night I looked where I had concealed the little notes, 
and they had vanished, when and how, I had no 
means of knowing ; but Dr. Nichols has since written 
to me : — 

" Two little notes in your well-known handwriting were 
punctually delivered. Sitting in my study, Mr. Eglinton, 
1 under control,' took a slate, and held it horizontally above his 
head near the gaslight. Something fell upon it. On his lower- 
ing it, I found your little note addressed to }irs. Nichols. A 
little after, Mr. Eglinton asked me to come with him near my 
writing-desk. He put his open hand into the obscurity under 

381 



382 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

the desk for a moment ; and on taking it out, there lay on it a 
welcome note from ' Bertie.' " 

In the month of November " Ernest" came to me 
one day, seemingly in haste, and said, " A great trial 
awaits dear Mrs. Nichols. A calamity will befall her 
which we have no power to avert ; but we wish to pre- 
pare her by placing every means of strength which we 
have at her disposal. I want you to send her a lock 
of your hair, dear ; and I am sure it will comfort you 
to know that in her hour of greatest distress it will 
afford her comfort and relief," 

Of course I was glad to do any thing possible for 
my dear friend who had so faithfully stood by me in 
all my trial; and " Ernest," instead of cutting off a 
lock, as before, with a poniard, seemed to remove it 
by imperceptible dematerialization. 1 

Letters were taken from me by my spirit-friends to 
Mr. Eglinton, to Capt. James (a retired army officer 
living in Gower Street, who has been for many years 
a most intelligent investigator of the phenomena of 
mesmerism and Spiritualism), and to Signor Rondi, 
whom I believe to have been sincerely sorry for w^hat 
he was induced to do against me in America, over- 
come, as I believe he was, by Dr. Mack or other 

1 I found, upon inquiry, that Mrs. Nichols received this lock of hair, two 
miles distant, just after she had broken her thigh, and while the surgeon was 
setting it. 



FURTHER EXPERIENCES. 383 

machinations. Signor Rondi wrote me a long letter, 
which was brought to me by "Ernest." My reply 
was taken to him in the same way. and received in the 
presence of Mr. Eglinton. I am sorry for his fault, 
and believe that he is sorry also. 

The manner in which Mr. Eglinton received one of 
my missives was curious. He was going along the 
Holborn Viaduct in an omnibus, when a spirit-voice 
directed him to alight, and go to some quiet room. He 
stopped the omnibus, and went into the great hotel of 
Spiers and Ponds, and into a vacant room, where, feel- 
ing something touch his thigh, he put down his hand, 
and found a letter which had just been written by me 
in my cell in prison. This is his account of the matter 
related to me and to others. 

I have been asked how I could reconcile it to my 
conscience to write letters to friends in England, 
America, and India, when I knew that it was against 
the rules of the prison to write at all, except at certain 
appointed times and under supervision. 

I answer that it takes two to make a bargain. I was 
unjustly convicted, unjustly imprisoned. It was brute 
force alone that placed and kept me in prison. I vio- 
lated no compact, for I made none. My liberty had 
been taken from me wrongfully, and all my rights 
trampled upon. I think, therefore, that I had a per- 
fect right to avail myself of every amelioration of the 



384 TWELVE MONTHS IN PEISON. 

outrage inflicted upon me which mortals or spirits could 
offer me. 

And why, it may be asked, did not the spirits who 
did so much for } t ou do more ? Why did they not take 
you out of prison, instead of taking letters, and locks 
of hair ? 

The reason they did not was because I would not 
give my consent. They believed they could do it, and 
wished to make the attempt. The power of spirits 
over matter depends upon conditions. Spirits are not 
infallible or omnipotent. When conditions are favora- 
ble, they can do very wonderful things. Close by this 
prison, in Ashley Place, according to the testimony of 
the Earl of Balcarres (then Lord Lindsay) and the 
Earl of Dunraven (then Lord Adare) , Mr. D. D. Home 
was carried out of one window, and brought in at 
another, floating in the air in a horizontal position, 
about seventy feet from the pavement. I do not doubt 
that I could have been taken from my cell over the wall 
about thirty feet high that encompasses the prison. 

A time was appointed to do it. One of my friends 
was directed to wait for me at a particular place out- 
side the wall, and waited there an hour. The spirit 
"Ernest" came and unlocked my cell, and wished to 
take me. I refused to go. 

The reason why I refused, under the influence, I 
believe, of the wisest of my spirit-friends, was this. 



FURTHER EXPERIENCES. 385 

My warder and other prison officers would have got 
into serious trouble. Warders and porters would have 
been discharged, and perhaps punished. They would 
have lost thejr pensions, and the public would have 
believed that they had been bribed to assist me to 
escape. I should have been arrested, or rather I should 
have gone at once to the home office, and given myself 
up. I came voluntarily to England to be tried, and I 
should not have run away from any punishment the 
"law" thought proper to inflict. I did not come to 
England to run away again, nor go to prison in order 
to escape. For all these reasons, when " Ernest " 
unlocked my cell, and offered to take me bodily over 
the walls, I refused to be taken. To go ever so far 
in spirit, leaving my poor body in my cell, did no harm 
to any one. There is no prison for the soul. 

My friend outside wanted the manifestation for the 
good he thought it would do to -Spiritualism. Yes, if 
any one but a Spiritualist could have believed it. 
Probably my friends in and out of the prison would 
have been prosecuted for aiding nry escape, and I 
should have been condemned to a longer and more 
severe imprisonment. It was better to quietly stay out 
my time, and do m} T appointed work. If I had got 
out of England, I could not have returned. Believing 
that I had a work to do in England for Spiritualism, 
and also for prisoners of every grade, I declined to 



386 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

accept freedom at the price of perpetual banishment 
from a country, which, in spite of much injustice, I still 
love, and still desire to serve ; for England, no Amer- 
ican of the English race can forget, is the country 
of our ancestors. Her history is our history ; and I, 
who have seen and felt her hardest, roughest side, can 
still say with her patriotic poet, — 

" England, with all thy faults I love thee still." 



CHAPTER XLIL 

RELEASE OF A PRISONER. CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY. 

There was little chance to get acquainted with my 
fellow-prisoners. I could see them at exercise, and 
a portion of them every day at chapel ; but we were 
supposed never to speak to each other. Locked in our 
cells, a separate cell for each prisoner, in utter solitude 
and silence for twenty- three hours out of every twenty- 
four, what chance had we to get acquainted? 

None, it seemed to me, for any good ; some for evil. 
A drunken old creature who had been in prison twenty, 
fifty, in some cases more than a hundred, times, could 
manage to get beside a girl of fifteen at exercise or in 
chapel, and further corrupt her, and arrange for future 
meetings. 

The prisoners were not all drunken or bad. Our 
chaplain, who knew his flock as no other person could 
know it, believed that many were ' ' more sinned against 
than sinning," and that in many cases of apparent 
crime there was no moral guilt. A poor working- 
woman, for example, with a drunken husband and hun- 

387 



388 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

gry children, is tempted to pledge some garment she is 
making to get bread, and then is not able to redeem it, 
because her husband spends his wages at the public- 
house. Under these circumstances she is sent for two 
or three months to prison. It w r as an irregularity, an 
indiscretion, but not intentionally a crime. 

We had one poor woman, sixty years old, who had 
been sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, whom I 
could not look upon as a criminal. Her quiet behavior, 
her good temper, and kindness to everybody with whom 
she came in contact, made her respected and liked. 

One day she had a stroke of paralysis, and was 
taken to the " sick-cells." In a fortnight she came 
back to her old quarters, considered cured ; but we 
who knew her did not think her well. A fortnight later 
she was failing visibly, and one afternoon she was 
taken again to the infirmary. The next clay she died. 
I afterwards heard that the coroner received notice, 
according to the regulations. A jury was summoned 
from the neighboring public-houses. The testimony of 
the physician was given, and, in accordance with it, a 
verdict of " death from old age " — old age at sixty ! 
We w T ho had watched her knew that she had died 
from the exhaustion of grief, cold, and an insufficient 
and inappropriate diet. 

[I had for three months been unable to eat brown 
bread before I was given white, notwithstanding my 



BELEASE OF A PRISONER. 389 

warder bad taken my untasted bread, and reported my 
case several times to tbe doctor.] 

On tbe day she died, she was asked if she had any 
relations or friends she wished to see. 

" Oh, dear!" she said, "I should like to see my 
daughter so much ; but she is a widow with, five little 
children to take care of. It was trying to get money 
to pay for her husband's funeral that brought me here. 
She lives at Norwood. She can't walk so far, and she 
is too poor to come by rail : so don't send for her." 

So, for lack of half a crown or less, the poor woman 
died without seeing one soul she knew. The}' asked 
her what name she would be buried under. 

u The name I gave when I came here," she said, 
"is a false one, but use that. God knows who I 
am, and it won't matter to anybody else." 

Refusing to give her correct name seemed to me 
a sublime thoughtfulness for the feelings of others, 
worthy of a higher station and a better fate. Her 
death made a deep impression on me ; and, though 
she had never spoken to me, I was very sorry for 
her. 

On the night she died I was indeed greatly dis- 
tressed ; and, instead of going to bed at the usual time, 
I lay my head on my stool, and thought that this poor 
old prisoner was somebody's mother, and yet that the 
Christian world, the philanthropic world, the tender- 



390 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

hearted world all about mc, was just as merry as if no 
such tragedies were ever enacted. 

While I sat having a little cry all to myself, I heard 
the cheerful voice of my friend " Joey " saying, u Mrs. 
Fletcher, how do you do? Rouse up, rouse up ! We 
have brought Willie to see you.'' 

Of course I " roused up ; " and, sure enough, there 
stood Willie Eglinton — to all appearance the real, 
living, tangible Willie — in my locked cell. He held 
out his hand to me, and I grasped it, as solid and real 
as ever was his own; and he said, "Well, Bertie, I 
went to bed and tried to go to sleep ; but I couldn't 
get you out of my mind. Eveiybody else has been 
having letters, and I don't see why I should not have 
one : so I have come to get it myself." 

I smiled, and asked, "Why do you want a letter, 
now you have got me?" 

He said, " They are talking in Calcutta [where he 
was at this time] about the ' Mystic Brotherhood ; ' 
and ' Ernest ' has told me that they are not the only 
brothers in their doings, but that the power by which 
their miracles are done is more common than is sup- 
posed ; and he wished me to make this experiment of 
coming to you, and here I am." 

" Well, I am sincerely glad to see you. If you want 
a letter, shall I write it now? " 

64 Yes, please. I want to take it back with me ; and 



RELEASE OF A PRISONER. 391 

to assure myself that I really came for it, and that 
; Ernest ' did not bring it, I am going to put it in a par- 
ticular place when I get back, where I shall be obliged 
to go and get it after I have re-entered my body." 

As I chanced to have the means of writing by me, I 
wrote a little note, and gave it to him, as he desired. 
He departed; and, an instant after, "Ernest" ap- 
peared. He said, "It was not alone to give "Willie 
this experience of a marvellous phenomenon that we 
brought him here, but it was more to get strength, and 
give assistance to the poor, unhappy spirit whose de- 
parture has so much grieved you." 

At another time, in October, on the occasion of my 
husband's birthday, my spirit-friends brought a piece 
of cake and a glass of wine into my cell, which they 
wished me to take for the nourishment it would give 
me, and in honor of the occasion. My teetotal friends 
will object to the wine ; but, as it had probably been 
dematerialized before crossing the Atlantic, the alco- 
hol may have been left out of the subsequent materi- 
alization. It was given me in a glass with a broken 
stem. When "Winona" brought it to me, she said, 
" Mr. Fletcher wished this to be brought to you." 

"Ina broken wineglass? " I asked. 

"Oh, that was an accident!" said "Winona;" 
" but the wine was magnetized, and we could not wait 
to get another glass." 



392 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

The matter was more fully explained in a subsequent 
letter from my husband. He wrote : — 

" My birthday, as you can well imagine, was not the bright, 
happy little affair it used to be; and I think that at no time 
in your whole tiresome imprisonment have I missed you more 
than I have to-day. I have received many gifts; many have 
called to wish me ' happy returns ; ' but your head resting on 
my shoulder, and your eyes looking into mine, would have 
been of infinite comfort to me. So at night, after every one 
had departed, I sat down to have a little cake and wine with 
you-. It may have been a foolish fancy; but I thought that 
somehow, if I broke the cake, and filled the glass, for your 
dear sake, you might be able to know of my remembrance of 
you. So I left the cake and the glass of wine on the table 
when I went to bed. In the morning they had disappeared. 

" If the servants or any one had been in the room, I should 
have believed that human hands had removed them; but I 
carefully locked the door, and am quite certain that no one 
entered the room until I did. And now comes the strangest 
part of the matter. The night after, just as I was going to 
sleep, I felt something cold against my face, and heard 
6 Winona ' say, ' Don't be cross. I have taken Bertie the wine ; 
but I broke the glass, and have brought back only the top of 
it.' And, surely enough, on striking a light, I found, so far 
as I can judge, the wineglass that was missing, but in a muti- 
lated and cherubic condition." 

It was well for me, perhaps, that u Winona " took 
back the glass, though one cannot see the need of tak- 
ing it such a distance. It might have been dropped 



RELEASE OF A PRISONER. 393 

just over the wall. I had wondered what I could do 
with it, and rolled it up in my bedclothes. At night 
I put it under my pillow. The next morning it was 
gone. How it came to be broken was never explained 
to us. 1 

1 As there are differences of opinion, even among Spiritualists, respect- 
ing these manifestations, I add the following testimony : — 

Taking solid objects into or out of a tightly closed room is a common 
manifestation, which has been witnessed by hundreds, and perhaps by thou- 
sands. The late Sergeant Cox told me, that sitting with Mrs. Guppy in his 
library, with every door and window securely fastened, great masses of 
flowers — "a cartload," as he expressed it — had been poured upon the table. 
I have often seen such things on a smaller scale. On two occasions I have 
seen a materialized spirit eat cake, and drink wine. Once at my own house 
in Malvern, "Joey," presiding at a birthday festival, sat at a round table in 
the centre of the room, in a good light, talking with us, and cut a birthday- 
cake, and poured out glasses of wine, which he brought to each person in the 
room. He then, in sight of all, cut a good slice of cake for himself, and ate 
it, and then, pcuring out a glass of wine, gave and drank "the toast of the 
evening," — " long life, health and happiness " to his hostess, adding, " God 
bless you, and give you strength to do your work! " Mr. Eglinton, who 
resided with us for some years at Malvern, was the medium. 

The other occasion was at a seance at the studio of Signor Rondi in Mon- 
tague Place, London, at which Miss Katie Cook was medium. The spirit 
" Lily," whom I have seen, heard, and felt several times, there and else- 
where, perfectly satisfying myself, of her distinct personality, near the close 
of the stance said, "Rondi, I want some cake and wine." — "Very well, 
' Lily : ' there is some in my cupboard. You have only to go and get it." — 
" Xo, Rondi, you must get it for me," said she; and he went and got her a 
glass of wine and some thin sweet biscuits. She came o^uite near me, drauk 
the wine, bit off a piece of one of the biscuits, and handed me the remainder. 
" Lily " allowed me to examine her hands, arms, and feet by touch as well 
as by sight, to feel her pulse, to place my hands upon her and her medium 
at the same time; and I have her photograph taken by daylight. Whatever 



394 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

frauds there may have been in respect to pretended materializations, I have 
had with five or six mediums, and as to twelve or more spirits, the most 
absolute proofs of reality, distinct personality, and, as far as possible, of 
identity. I can as well doubt my own existence as that I have seen, heard, 
and felt the materialized forms of those whom I once knew in this world, 
and of others with whom I have become acquainted only as spirits. I hope 
to be able to give before long a full and circumstantial account of these 
experiences. — T. L. Nichols, M.D. 



CHAPTER XLIII. 

MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS TO THE HOME SECRETARY. 

The first impulse of my friends in America and in 
England was to appeal to the home secretary, the dis- 
penser of the pardoning-power of the crown, as well 
as the punishing-power, to release me from prison. 
Various Spiritualist societies sent resolutions of con- 
fidence and sympathy, and memorials or petitions, for 
which I wish to express my gratitude. But I had at 
no time the least hope in the success of any effort for 
my release. Such efforts interested me only as ex- 
pressions of personal friendship and confidence. 

The memorial presented to the home secretary by 
Dr. Nichols, which he also printed, and somewhat 
widely circulated, which was also reprinted by a lady- 
friend, was useful in presenting many new facts to its 
readers, and in giving some of the suppressed evidence, 
especially the important affidavits of Capt. Lindmaik 
and Mr. Morton. 

The reasons why no memorial, and no amount of 
proof of the perjuries of the chief witness, could be of 

395 



396 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

any avail with the home secretary, are not far to seek. 
His subordinates had taken up the prosecution because 
it was a sensational case, in which the press and the 
public were greatly interested. The chief of a depart- 
ment, as a rule, sustains the action of his subordinates. 
The government itself believed me guilty, and had 
determined to punish me. 

The only possible way to get Sir William Harcourt, 
acting for her Majesty the Queen, to grant me a par- 
don, was to convince him of the reality of Spiritual- 
ism ; but I do not expect an avowal of such a belief, 
at present, from a home secretary, who perhaps aspires 
to the place of lord-chancellor, — from one who now 
exercises the pardoning power, and possibly hopes to 
become the conscience-keeper of the Queen. 

The memorial had no effect upon the home secre- 
tary : elsewhere it did its work. In the preface to the 
printed edition, Dr. Nichols said, — 

" I propose to send copies to the witnesses who have volun- 
teered their testimony ; to friends of Mrs. Fletcher, in England 
and America, who in this relentless persecution, and failure 
of justice, have had entire faith in her innocence; to Spiritual- 
ist societies, for the information of their members; to a few 
liberal members of Parliament, who may see the need of 
changes in the law, under which the most honest man or 
woman may be punished as a rogue and vagabond ; and to the 
conductors of public journals, who, in entire ignorance of the 
facts of- the case, took the opportunity to denounce a woman 



MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS. 397 

in prison, because she was a Spiritualist, as they would not 
have done had she been undoubtedly guilty of murder. 

" I have taken this perhaps unusual course, because this is 
an unusual case. The articles in hundreds of newspapers, 
echoing the charge and sentence, showed how deep, violent, 
unreasoning, and vindictive is the prejudice against Spiritual- 
ism. There was absolutely no proof against Mrs. Fletcher of 
false pretences. The fact that she was a Spiritualist was 
enough for the court, the jury, and the press. 

"It is, therefore, not enough that the proofs of the inno- 
cence of Mrs. Fletcher should be laid before her Majesty's Sec- 
retary of State for the Home Department, so that she may be 
released from prison. It is right that all who have unjustly 
condemned her should know the real facts of this 'extraor- 
dinary' case, and see how easy it is — now, as in past ages, 
under prejudice and excitement — to use the forms of law to 
perpetrate cruel wrongs. 

" Hear the other side. Read the testimony of Capt. land- 
mark, of Mr. Morton, of the other witnesses to facts and to 
character. Consider, that, among the millions who believe in 
the reality of spiritual phenomena, there are men and women as 
intelligent and veracious as among those who doubt or deny it, 
and that those who testify to the truth of Spiritualism have exam- 
ined the facts, while those who deny it have refused tc examine, 
and, as in this case, have condemned without a hearing. 

"I have been an investigator and a witness of the phe- 
nomena called spiritualistic for more than twenty-five years. 
I am neither a knave nor a fool. I know what I have seen 
and heard and felt, as I know any other fact in nature. The 
man who does not know a fact, who has neglected or refused 
to examine it, has no right to dispute *.t, or to condemn one 
who knows it to be true, or believes it upon proper testimony. 



398 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

"It is the intolerance of ignorance that is the basis of per- 
secution, and has caused the failure of justice in this one of 
many cases where people are wrongly condemned by public 
opinion, or in courts of law. 

"I ask for simple justice to all Spiritualists, and only for 
justice to my friend Mrs. Fletcher." 

The memorial contains many of the facts I have 
already related, and was accompanied by the proper 
testimony. A few paragraphs of the body of the 
memorial are printed in the Appendix. 

The testimony appended to this memorial seemed to 
me abundant and conclusive. I give the home secre- 
tary the credit of never having read one line of it. He 
was very busy about this time making political speeches, 
and was nicknamed by " Punch " the u Never- at-home- 
Secretary." It would have been a pity to deprive 
great popular assemblies of the benefit of listening 
to his eloquence ; but it seemed to me that it might 
also be a pity that prisoners unjustly sentenced to 
penal servitude or the gallows should not have some 
one to read their memorials or petitions. 

With the testimony in the memorial should have 
been included the following affidavit of James McGeary, 
alias Dr. Mack, who took so prominent a part, as 
nearest friend of Mrs. Hart-Davies, in my prosecution 
in America and England ; but it came to me too late 
to be so included. 



MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS. 399 

My friend and former legal adviser, John TV". Mahan, 
Esq., of Boston, wrote to me, under date of Nov. 12, 
1881, the following letter: — 

Dear Mes. Fletcher, — I am informed by your hus- 
band that I can send a letter to you by the steamer that leaves 
on the 15th, and eagerly seize the opportunity to assure you 
that the cordial greeting you will receive from your friends in 
America, when once more you are free, will go far to com- 
pensate you for all you have suffered in a foreign land. 

You know that I am not a believer in Spiritualism, though 
I must fairly admit that I cannot account for the wonderful 
phenomena which have convinced so many of its truth; and 
I can understand the feelings of the opponents of Spiritualism 
in England: but had the jury that tried you, the judge that 
sentenced you, the solicitor of the crown who aided in your 
prosecution, known your real character and that of your 
friends in America, — had they known how foreign to you 
was any deceit, how pure, devoted, unselfish, and courageous 
you are, they could never have sent you to a prison. 

I write specially to tell you that Mack (McGeary) has re- 
turned to England. He said he was going there to show 
Madame Hart-Davies to the public in her true character, if she 
failed to pay him what she owed him. 

He signed a statement, which I drew up for him at his 
dictation, to this effect; viz., that Madame Davies admitted to 
him that she had testified falsely at your trial in several par- 
ticulars; that she had committed larceny of articles belonging 
to you and Mr. Fletcher; and he named a sealskin jacket, a 
lace shawl, and an overcoat lined with fur, among the articles 
she had abstracted from your house in London. He said he 



400 TWELVE MONTHS IN PPwISON. 

was ready to go before the home secretary and state these 
matters under oath, and stated that he had learned her ingrati- 
tude, baseness, and utter want of principle, since your trial. 

The fact is, Mack and Madame Davies conspired together, 
the conspirators quarrelled, and now each is calling the other 
all the vile names to which both are fairly entitled. The 
truth will be known in the end: but in the mean time you, 
poor martyr, you are suffering; but the days are passing, and I 
feel as though your release must come soon. The English 
people and the English authorities have recently shown some 
appreciation of America and Americans. If the home secre- 
tary will listen to the prayers of thousands of your friends in 
this country, he will before Christmas allow you to go free, 
and return to them and your family before another year is 
ushered in. Until I can hear from or see you, believe me your 
friend, as I was your counsel. I advised you not to go to 
England ; but you said your honor was at stake, and you did 
not heed my counsel. 

I remain as ever yours, 

JOHN W. MAHAN. 

The following is the affidavit of James McGeary, 
alias Dr. Mack : — 

"I, James McGeary of Salem, in the State of Massachu- 
setts, United States of America, but now temporarily residing 
in London, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, depose and 
say as follows : — 

" That I acted in perfect good faith toward Madame Hart- 
Davies (as known and called) both in America and England, 
as I believed at the outset that she had been injured by Mr. 
and Mrs. J. W. Fletcher. But during and after the trial of 



MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS. 401 

Mrs. Fletcher I had occasion to consult with Madame Davies; 
and she admitted to me that she had sworn falsely as to certain 
facts, while on the witness-stand, in the indictment against 
Mrs. Fletcher. Mrs. Davies also admitted that she had taken 
property from the house of Mr. Fletcher in London that 
belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, and declared her intention 
to keep the same. 

" In other respects I learned the true character of Mrs. Hart- 
Davies, and for this reason I believe that Mrs. Fletcher ought 
not to suffer further imprisonment. I hereby signify my will- 
ingness to appear before the home secretary at any time ; and I 
will then detail some facts of importance, so far as I can judge, 
bearing upon the question of Mrs. Fletcher's guilt or inno- 
cence. I further depose that these facts relate to acts of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies; and I can satisfy any unprejudiced mind that 
she is unworthy of belief, that she has committed perjury and 
larceny, and is utterly incapable of returning friendship, but, 
on the contrary, is deceitful, and ready to return, for friendly 
acts rendered to her, falsehood and slander." 

Dr. Mack, since his latest return to England, made 
similar declarations to a friend of mine. 

After my conviction, a summons was granted at Bow 
Street against Mrs. Hart-Davies for perjuries com- 
mitted in her testimony at the trial ; but, as she went 
to France on the close of the trial, it could not be 
served. A warrant for her arrest was applied for and 
granted. The charges of repeated perjuries made by 
Capt. Lindmark, Mr. Morton, Miss Gay, and others, 
as well as by her friend and co-conspirator McGeary, 



402 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

are on record against her. It is just that they should 
be known for my vindication. And my first duty, after 
my health is sufficiently restored,- will be to place these 
records before the proper officials, and await the result. 



CHAPTER XLIY. 



A PLEA FOR PRISON-REFORM. 



As the gloomy clays and long nights of an English 
winter wore away in the cold and darkness of solitary 
confinement in dreary cells, — in that cheerless mo- 
notony contrasting with the gayeties of Christmas 
firesides and Christmas festivities outside, — it is not 
strange that my health broke down. The cold, the 
darkness, the horrible character of all my surround- 
ings, the hopeless condition of the constantly changing 
swarm of bloated, drunken, miserable women, sent to 
prison for short terms, only to become each time more 
hardened and depraved, weighed heavily upon my heart. 
Under such a system nothing could be done for them. 
If the chaplains could make any impression upon them 
when they got sober, the moment they got outside the 
walls, it was drowned in drunken riot. The only hope 
was in longer sentences, which would not pay the offi- 
cials as well ; but those the magistrates could not or 
would not give : and what was the good of long sen- 
tences in such a place, or under such a system? Cold, 

403 



404 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

darkness, silence, solitude, and the repression of brute 
force, are not curative, or reformatory, or humanizing 
influences. They disease the body, and depress, stu- 
pefy, and debase the mind. Their tendency is to fill it 
with gloom, hatred, and desperation. A woman igno- 
rantly, carelessly, yields to the temptations that society 
and the government itself place around her ; owing 
to badly paid labor and a wretched home, a young 
girl goes to the music-hall, the public-house, and the 
brothel ; drink quiets remorse and shame ; more drink 
leads to reckless abandonment and disorderly conduct, 
the police-court, and the prison. The State receives 
the victims of its own established institutions, — the 
houses of ill-fame which it tolerates, and the houses 
of drunkenness it licenses, and from which it draws 
millions of revenue. 

In the absence of any proper classification and sepa- 
ration of prisoners, there can be no reformation. The 
discipline of the prison is not reformatory. I think it 
ought to be changed in almost every particular. 

What would I have? Above all, the conditions of 
health, — plenty of light, pure air, pure water, pure, 
healthy food, sufficient exercise, attractive industry, 
and humanizing influences. 

First of all, there should be perfect cleanliness. It 
is half the battle to make people clean in their persons, 
clothing, and surroundings. Plenty of soap and water. 



A PLEA FOB PRISON REFORM. 405 

Every prisoner should have a good dail} T bath. The 
best arrangement for such a number would probably 
be a warm shower-bath, into which each one could 
step for one or two minutes. The spray of warm 
water, about 100° or 110° F., should end with a mo- 
mentary dash of cold, to leave the skin in good 
condition ; then a hard towel, the rougher the better, 
each bather bringing her own. 

Personal and bed clothing should be sufficient for 
comfort, that is, for health, and always clean, and never 
inherited, unchanged, as now, by one prisoner from 
another. 

Taken in relays to a model laundry, every prisoner 
should in turn be taught how to wash ; and in a model 
kitchen, suited to the preparation of plain, healthy 
food, every prisoner should be taught how to cook. 
As books are allowed in all the cells, why not pictures 
upon the walls, and why not a pot of flowers, add- 
ing beauty to cleanliness ? I would make a prison for 
women clean, healthful, womanly, a model home, a 
model sanitarium for bod} T and for soul. And no short 
sentences after the first. A prison should be a reform- 
atory school, and for reformation time is a necessary 
element. Reform is cure, and to cure a drunkard of 
the mania for drink needs at least a year. I hold 
that the State — that is, all of us — should do for all 
these poor women — victims of social conditions and 



406 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 

institutions, victims of what men do, and neglect to 
do — what I would do for my sister or my child if she 
fell into such misfortunes. 

Drunkenness and crime are the results of social con- 
ditions and hereditary predispositions. Punishments 
do not deter nor prevent. When people were hanged 
for theft, it did not prevent stealing. When men and 
women were hanged in rows in the Old Bailey for 
passing counterfeit money, it was no perceptible check 
upon the crime. The Bank of England stopped it by 
issuing no notes under five pounds, and making these 
very difficult to counterfeit. 

Two great reforms are needed in England. 

1. A law reform by means of which innocent per- 
sons shall not be unjustly condemned to prison, to 
penal servitude, nor to the gallows ; a better court of 
criminal appeal than can be hoped for in an over- 
worked home secretary ; and a public prosecutor for 
defendant as well as for plaintiff. 

2. A prison reform by means of which those who 
are justly convicted may have some chance of physical 
and moral improvement. 

It is a comfort to me to think that my trial and im- 
prisonment may have some good effect in promoting 
both of these much needed reformations. At least, I 
shall do what I can to beg others to do what they can 
for the unfortunate and even for the criminal. 



CHAPTER XLV. 

FREEDOM. 

The days, weeks, months, wore slowly away. I 
counted the weeks, days, hours, between me and liberty. 
My husband could not come to receive me at the prison- 
gate. He would have been arrested, arraigned, and, 
without further trial, sentenced, no doubt to penal 
servitude, on the verdict recorded both against him and 
my friend Mr. Morton. It would have been a simple 
formality, without protest or appeal. But there was 
one who could safely come, my dear boy, Alvah, now 
in his seventeenth year. My term of imprisonment 
was to expire on Monday, the 17th of March. The 
steamer which brought my boy arrived on Sunday. 

By applying to the lady-superintendent, I was al- 
lowed to leave the prison at half-past nine o'clock a.m., 
instead of ten, the hour when others would be liberated. 
For the first time in so many months, I put on my own 
clothes, which, with such things as I happened to have, 
had been carefully kept for me. I stepped into the 
little court enclosed by the great iron gates at the 

407 



408 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

entrance, and clasped my boy in my arms, and felt his 
hot tears raining on my cheeks ; then came the grasp 
of the friendly hands of friends, who had come in car- 
riages to welcome me to liberty. The morning was 
perfectly lovely, and the route from Westminster to 
my friend's house in South Kensington lay through 
paradise. None but those who have been immured for 
months in a gloomy prison can ever know the ecstasy 
of freedom. The sensation goes far towards compen- 
sating for the deprivation. 

Breakfast and friends, cables from my husband, 
awaited me at Dr. Nichols's ; and there I found a true 
home while I remained in England. My friend Mr. 
Mengens, w r ho had come from Calcutta, gave me the 
refreshment of a week's visit to his family in Brighton ; 
and as many of my London friends as I was able to 
receive called to see me. Others left cards, or wrote. 
I was so weak after the first ecstasy, that I could not 
see many. And I had my work to do. Every morn- 
ing, from six o'clock to nine, I worked upon this story 
of my life, and my recent experiences, which I wished 
to record while fresh in my memory. 

In leaving the prison, I had to thank the senior 
warder for many civilities, my chaplain for unvary- 
ing kindness, the doctor for professional and friendly 
care. They were all as good to me as their duties and 
the regulations of the prison would permit them to be. 



FREEDOM. 409 

There were some in humble positions whom I wish I 
could reward as they deserve. Their woman-hearts 
were full of sympathy. In strict accordance with their 
instructions the} r treated me with all the kindness their 
rules would allow, and with such civility as one would 
scarcely look for in such a place. To show how warm 
are the hearts of those whom one might expect to be 
hardened into heartlessness by such duties, let me give 
a portion of a letter I received soon after my release, 
from a woman- warder who cared for me : — 

" My dear darlixg Baby, — If I may still call you so, — 
and I think you will let me, for indeed you are very dear to 
me, — you don't know how miserable and unhappy I feel, now 
you are gone.. It is not like the same place. It was very bad, 
but now it is much worse. As I am passing that old cell, I 
look in. It is empty — no one there. Then I don't know what 
to do with myself. Oh, do forgive me ! I ought not to remind 
you of this dreadful place, but I do miss you so much! I hope 
you will keep well. Let me beg of you to take care of your- 
self. 

" I was so pleased to see your dear, dear boy; and I love him 
so much! He has your dear old face, bless him! . . . With 
fondest love, yours ever." 

It is needless to add, that a warder like this did not 
remain long in the service. 

"With such hearts as the one which dictated that 
letter, what could not be done for poor women, under 



410 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

proper conditions and regulation ! As to the greater 
number of those who are sent to prison, the following 
paragraph from a London newspaper, which came under 
my eye as I was copying the above letter, gives a suffi- 
cient description : — 

"Worship -Street. — A Sad Case. — Lucy Brent, an 
'unfortunate,' about thirty years of age, was charged with 
being drunk, and refusing to quit the George and Guy public- 
house when requested ; further, with wilfully breaking a square 
of plate-glass, value five pounds. The prisoner is well known 
in the court ; and the convictions recorded against her number 
nearly a hundred, dating from 1868. When she first appeared 
before the magistrate, she was not eighteen years of age, and 
was exceedingly pretty. She was then charged with drunken- 
ness in the street; and, when she told her history, Mr. Newton 
induced her to enter a home for fallen women, under the pro- 
tection of Miss Stride. The prisoner, however, soon left the 
home, and ever since has refused to listen to any advice. She 
now lives, when not in prison, in the lowest dens of Spital- 
fields, and on this occasion appeared in the dock with a fear- 
ful contusion of one eye, and looking fifty years of age. She 
is a woman of fair education, but whether respectably con- 
nected, she would never tell. She has never been convicted of 
felony. Mr. Bushby said there was nothing for it but to send 
her to prison, and ordered her to be kept in jail for two months 
with hard labor." 

Of course Lucy Brent was sent to Tothill Fields 
Prison, where she may have had the good fortune to 



# FREEDOM. 411 

fall under the guardianship of the writer of the above 
letter. But at the end of the two months ? The lowest 
den in Spitalfields again, and then another conviction 
and sentence. 

Surely men who can vote and legislate might do 
something better than that for their victims. If they 
really cannot, then let us women try. We could not 
do worse. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

AT LIBERTY IN LONDON. A FAREWELL SEANCE, AND 

A FAREWELL TO ENGLAND. 

I have desired my friend Dr. Nichols, who stood 
by me from first to last, to write some account of 
our experiences during the weeks I spent in London, 
gathering strength for the voyage to America. Espe- 
cially I wished to have his account of the farewell 
seance, attended by some of my friends of both worlds ; 
and this last and farewell chapter cannot, perhaps, end 
better than with my farewell to England. 

" In compliance with the request of my friend Mrs. 
Fletcher, for whom I have clone what I could do in the 
waj r of friendly service, I will give some account of 
her and our experiences before she left us to visit her 
family and friends in America, soon to return, we 
trust, and complete the work in England, for which 
she has had such preparation. 

" She came from her Majesty's Prison, Westminster, 
with the friends who went to welcome her to liberty, 
412 



AT "LIBERTY IX LONDON. 413 

on the morning of March 27, 1882. very cheerful, very 
happy to meet her friends, especially her good and 
loving boy, and happy in her freedom as no one can 
be who has not been in bonds. 

" It was evident that her health had suffered. She- 
had lost from forty to fifty pounds in weight, and was 
often in pain ; but the air of freedom was a fine stimu- 
lant, and she was radiant and buoyant. After spend- 
ing a few days with some friends at Brighton, to try 
the tonic effects of sea-air, she returned to us, and 
•spent, her mornings upon the story of her life and its 
early and recent trials. The triumphs will be, I hope, 
recorded in a later volume. 

" Among those who joined with us in welcoming Mrs. 
Fletcher to her new-found freedom was Mr. I. E. Men- 
gens, a merchant of Calcutta, who had there received 
the letters written by her in her cell at Westminster, 
on the day they were written. Mr. William Eglinton. 
the medium who had been with Mr. Mengens in Cal- 
cutta, and was apparently ; the operator at the other 
end of the line,' had followed him to London, and 
was one of our guests. Mr. S , a New-York law- 
yer now residing in Paris, had also joined us. 

"On Saturday, the 29th of April, 1882, we formed 
a circle of six persons, — rather the spirits formed it, or 
re-arranged it so as to place Mr. Eglinton between 
Mrs. Fletcher and Mrs. Nichols. At a signal the gas- 



414 TWELVE MONTHS IX PRISON. 

light was turned off, when we saw carried around the 
table, so as to be read by each one in turn, a message 
written in letters of pure white light. It was in four 
or five lines, in a space of about six inches by four, 
announcing the presence of a spirit-friend of Mr. 

S . The vivid metallic lustre of the light shone 

on the faces of those who read the inscription. When 
it had gone round the circle, it suddenly vanished. 

" Then came our old friend, the spirit ' Ernest,' who 
gravely saluted Mrs. Fletcher, and all of us in turn. 
It was the first time some of us had heard him since* 
Mr. Eglinton went to India. Then i Joey ' came, 
and joyfully addressed us all, and loudly kissed Mrs. 
Fletcher ; then, like a big boy, he wound up the 
musical box and set it going, because, as he said, he 
had not heard one for so long a time. Our dear 
daughter Willie came, and made signal touches upon the 
hands and foreheads of her mother and Mrs. Fletcher, 
and on mine. Our spirit-friends joined with us in wel- 
coming our friend to liberty. 

" On the afternoon of Sunday, April 30, we made the 
acquaintance of ' Dewdrop,' professedly the spirit of 
an Indian-girl who speaks through Mrs. Fletcher when 
she is in a deep trance. She talked with us for an 
hour with wonderful vivacity, giving continual tests in 
remembering persons, facts, and verbal expressions. 
No one, I think, can listen to or converse with this 



AT LIBERTY IN LONDON. 415 

spirit without believing in her personality, or crediting 
her medium with very marvellous powers. As one 
hypothesis is as ' supernatural ' as the other, I prefer 
to believe the spirit's declaration that she is a spirit. 
She is the only witness, and I do not see how her testi- 
mony is to be impeached. 

" On Tuesday, May 2, I accompanied Mrs. Fletcher 
to the Bedford Pantechnicon, and saw her examine a 
great mass of property which had been removed from 
her house, 22 Gordon Street, in her absence, by Mrs. 
Hart-Davies. Mrs. Fletcher claimed a great number 
of articles of clothing, jewelry, etc., as her own; and 
I saw taken from one of the boxes a packet of letters 
addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. On the exami- 
nation at Bow Street, and at the trial at the Old 
Bailey, Mrs. Hart-Davies swore that she had taken no 
such papers. 

" On the night of the loth of May, 1882, we had our 
farewell seance with Mrs. Fletcher before she went to 
America. The persons present were Mrs. Fletcher, 
Mrs. Bower, Mrs. Nichols, Miss AVestern, Mr. W. 

Eglinton, Signor Damiani, Mr. S (the gentleman 

before mentioned), Mr. Mengens, and myself. AVe all 
sat round a table ; and by signal raps answering to 
our questions, the spirits, or rapping intelligences, re- 
arranged us, and the room was completely darkened. 

" The first manifestation after this re-arrangement 



416 TWELVE MONTHS IN PKISON. 



was a very curious one. A large repeater watch was 

taken from Mr. 8 's pocket, and carried about the 

table by the spirit of his brother, as he believed, to 
whom he had given it, and from whom he inherited it 
as a keepsake. Several times it was made to strike 
the hour and quarters from different parts of the table. 
Mrs. Fletcher's bracelet was taken from her arm, and 

placed upon that of Mr. S . All present said 

they were touched bj* hands or fingers. Mr. Eglinton 
was raised bodily so high in the air that the two ladies 
holding his hands were obliged to stand on their chairs 
to keep hold of him, while his feet came across the 
table, and rested for a moment, one on my head, and 
the other on the head of the lady who sat beside me ; 
so that his body must have been in a sloping position 
from three to six feet above the table. 

" Mrs.' Fletcher was then controlled by a very noble, 
pure, and eloquent spirit known to us as 'Violet.' I 
express, of course, our belief that she was so con- 
trolled. However that may be, I testify that a more 
beautiful and more eloquent discourse I have never 
listened to in my life than that in " which we were 
thanked for our fidelity to the medium through her 
trial and imprisonment. I have a high opinion of 
Mrs. Fletcher as a woman of ability and genius. She 
has admirable qualities of intellect and heart ; but I 
am unable to believe that she could of herself have 



AT LIBERTY IN LONDON. 417 

given us the beautifully refined, elevated, and perfect 
discourse to which we listened in rapt attention. I 
have heard, I believe, some of the best speakers and 
actors in the world, some of the best normal and 
trance speakers, but have never listened to a more 
perfectly beautiful address than was given by or 
through Mrs. Fletcher at her farewell seance. 

u Then followed the most wonderfully beautiful 
manifestation of the kind I have ever seen. People 
denounce dark seances; but how are we to have the 
marvellous phenomena of spirit-lights, with gas or 
candles burning? On this occasion Mr. Eglinton the 
medium passed round outside the circle, bearing a 
cross of light about fifteen inches high, — a light inde- 
scribably pure and beautiful, like the light of the planet 
Jupiter. Across the shorter ami of the Latin cross, 
in beautifully formed capital letters, was the word 
'FAITH/ The spirit 'Ernest,' in his own direct 
voice, then spoke to us all, and to each in turn, thank- 
ing us for what had been to all of us a ' labor of 
love ; ' and ' Joey ' did the same, with his own humor 
and pathos; and both said good-by to 'Bertie,' and 
both tenderly kissed her. ( Joey ' was very affec- 
tionate in. his farewells, and he never says 'good- 
night ' to his medium without kissing him two or 
three times. 

" On the 17th of May our friend went with her son 



418 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 



* 



to Liverpool, and sailed next day on the ' Celtic,' of 
the White Star Line, for New York, where she was 
met by her husband, and welcomed, there and in Phila- 
delphia, by crowds of friends, with a generous enthusi- 
asm. When her present work in America is done, we 
expect her to come and do what there is for her to do 
in England. 

"T. L. NICHOLS. " 



The above statement of Dr. Nichols is accurate, so 
far as I can remember. I give it as he has written it ; 
because, for what he considers worthy of his eulogy, I 
am in no way responsible. 

And now, dear reader, let me try to answer your 
last question as to this book, — Cui bono ? For what 
purpose has it been written ? What results do I antici- 
pate? 

From first to last it has been my all-absorbing desire 
to serve, in every way within my power, the cause of 
Spiritualism, — the cause which I espoused so many 
years ago, — the cause to which my husband is giving 
the best years of his life, — the cause, which, I believe, 
is destined, sooner than its advocates imagine, to be a 
comfort and service to all who know its phenomena, 
and believe in its philosophy. 

No one who is unprejudiced can read the report of 



AT LIBERTY IN LONDON. 419 

my trial without seeing that the difficulty between Mrs. 
Hart-Davies and myself might have been settled quietly 
between us at an afternoon tea, had she been disposed. 
And, if she had been guided by high-minded and well- 
meaning advisers, who can doubt that this simple and 
natural course would have been followed? But she 
preferred to seize the rare opportunity to cast a shadow 
upon Spiritualism in order to gratify personal revenge. 
Every form of religion or philosophy is more or less 
estimated by the character of its believers and expo- 
nents. However unjust this mode of judgment is, 
we cannot escape its influence. The question of my 
guilt or innocence should not have affected the moral 
status of Spiritualism ; and yet we see, in the com- 
ments of the prosecuting attorney and of the news- 
paper press, that the question did have a widespread 
and most injurious influence. The sacred cause itself 
seemed, to the unbelieving public, to be on trial in my 
person. And yet I may state here, that from the time 
I first saw Mrs. Hart-Davies, until some time after the 
execution of that deed of gift, I never once gave, nor 
professed to give, her a spiritual seance. Her story 
of the walking coffee-table and the mechanical writing, 
like the greater part of her testimony, was a sheer 
fabrication. But if all her testimony be taken as true, 
when she stated, under oath, in January, 1881, that she 
had believed and still did believe in Spiritualism, and 



420 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

that she had received communications from her mother 
through the mediumship of Mr, Fletcher, then she 
swore, that, to the best of her knowledge, she was 
prosecuting innocent people. 

In giving carefully both sides of this sad case, I 
have endeavored to show that all the sin and ignorance 
have been the fault or misfortune of individuals, and 
that Spiritualism has been an incidental matter, un- 
justly and maliciously introduced. 

My reputation has a certain worldly value, and upon 
it I place due importance ; but, as one's reputation is 
like stock in the hands of a broker with its par value, 
I have little power over it, and less concern. My char- 
acter to-day differs only as it may have been enlarged 
and strengthened, or crushed and weakened, by the 
discipline of the last twelve months. But a sense of 
justice to my family and friends furnishes sufficient 
inducement to make the truth known. Out of my 
experience, so terrible in many ways, has come much 
good. I know the motives and character of the pro- 
fessing thousands, and the truth and fidelity of the 
friendly few, as nothing else could have revealed them : 
those of doubtful and weak natures were wavering in 
their friendship, while the really upright were strong 
and true. A literary woman, well known by her 
popular novels, who was notorious for having been a 
"natural" wife months before she was a legal one, 



AT LIBEBTY IN LONDON. 421 

questioned very much the propriety of recognizing me 
in the court-room, although she had been previously 
solicitous for invitations to my house, and had been 
received by me when nearly every door was closed 
against her. 

Over some of these discoveries I felt like smiling : 
with others, I was not so inclined. I regretfully con- 
fess, that, had the advocates and some of the believers 
been^the only vouchers for Spiritualism, I should then 
and there have withdrawn my adherence, and taken the 
first steamer for home. But knowing that the grander 
the feast, the greater the mob, these discoveries of 
human frailty only served to strengthen my fidelity. 

My next, and surely not less important, desire will 
be to call attention to the prison system in England 
and America. Society, as a rule, is more thoughtless 
than wicked. To inform the indifferent is, in many 
instances, to convert them. The infinite bounty of 
nature rapidly increases population ; but it does not 
seem to me, that, of all the millions, we have human 
beings to spare. Inside our prisons are to be found 
a considerable percentage of our brightest intellects ; 
and so partisan and unjust has the administration of 
law become, that to be adjudged guilty is sometimes 
a compliment rather than a disgrace. Shall we accept 
as final the judgment of thirteen men, twelve of whom 
are no more fitted to weigh testimony than many of 



422 TWELVE MONTHS IN PRISON. 

our politicians are to hold office ? A belief in an ever- 
lasting hell as a fit punishment for sin is almost as 
kind, and quite as intelligent, as is the lifelong ostra- 
cism from the society of decent people for breaking a 
statute-law. 

Let our prisons be reformatories, hospitals, and 
schools, and let the inmates who have paid the penalty 
of the law be considered only as graduates from such 
humane institutions. What a load will be lifted from 
your heart and mine, dear reader, when we can feel 
that we are no longer paying, through taxation, for the 
torture and brutalization of so many of our blood ! 

It is laudable to seek the congenial society of those 
whose lives are above reproach, but it is better far 
to strive to ameliorate the condition of sinners than to 
bask in the sunshine of saints. 



APPENDICES. 



APPENDIX I. 

REPORT OF THE CROSS-EXAMINATION OF MRS. 
HART-DAYIES BEFORE THE BOW-STREET MAGIS- 
TRATE, MR. FLOWERS, WITH THE SUGGESTIONS 
OF COUNSEL, ETC. 

The " Daily Telegraph's " report of the cross-examination 
on the 10th of February is as follows : — 

On the case coming on now, Mr. Lewis asked the learned 
magistrate to look at the 17th section of Jarvis ? s Act. 

Mr. Flowers, having done so, said, of course Mr. Lewis had 
the right to cross-examine. 

Mr. Lewis thought it was his imperative duty. They had 
before them a lady who averred that she was in delicate health, 
and who wished to go abroad. When the trial came on, it 
might be said that she was too unwell to travel, and her deposi- 
tion would go before the jury without the modif ying effect of 
the cross-examination. Such a state of things would place his 
client in a very unpleasant situation. 

Mr. Wontner suggested, that, if that was the only reason for 
Mr. Lewis wishing to go on with the cross-examination, Mrs. 
Hart-Davies' evidence was the case itself. Without her, no 
true bill would probably be found by the grand jury. 

Mr. Lewis still thought it to be his duty to cross-examine 
the witness. 

425 



426 APPENDIX I. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies was now called, and accommodated with 
a seat in the witness-box. Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis, she 
said the letter produced was written from her aunt's residence. 

What is her name ? — Mrs. Sampson. She is aunt by- 
adoption. 

As a matter of fact, she is no relation to you ? — No. 

When your solicitor, Mr. Abrahams, opened the case, you 
were present ? — Yes. 

Did you hear him say that your mother was the sister of the 
late Mr. Sampson ? — I believe so. 

Is that statement true ? — By adoption it is true. 

What am I to understand by that ? — I am unable to answer 
that question. 

Now, Mrs. Hart-Davies, your answers will force me to ask 
you questions I don't wish to. Do you allege that there was 
any relationship between the late Mr. Sampson and your 
mother ? — As a matter of fact, no. 

Mr. Hart-Davies is your second husband, I think ? — Yes. 

What was the date of your marriage with him ? — Jan. 22, 
1876. My first husband's name was Ignatius Francis Kickard. 

Did you call him Frank ? — It might be so, sometimes. 

Is he alive ? — I believe so. I can't swear to the fact. 

Did he obtain a divorce from you? — My family and he did. 
He presented a petition, and obtained a divorce. I certainly 
alleged that I did not commit adultery. 

Do you mean to swear that you did not commit adultery ? 

Mr. Wontner objected to the question as being irrelevant. 

Mr. Flowers said he did not like to stop the cross-examina- 
tion unless he felt that it was merely to annoy the witness. 

Mr. Lewis assured the magistrate that that was not his 
object. He merely wished to show the real object the witness 
had in parting with her property. 



APPENDIX I. 427 

Mr. Lewis (to witness). —Do you assert on your oath that 
you have not committed adultery ? 

Mr. Abrahams rose to address the magistrate. 

Mr. Lewis objected to Mr. Abrahams addressing the magis- 
trate, submitting that he had no locus standi in the case. 

Mr. Wontner supported Mr. Lewis's objection; but Mr. 
Abrahams insisted that he had a right to be heard as a soli- 
citor, watching the case on behalf of the prosecutrix. He 
asserted that he had a right to protect the lady, and to be 
heard. He was about to raise an objection, but 

Mr. Lewis interrupted, and asked the magistrate to rule that 
the witness should answer the questions put to her. 

Mr. Lewis (to witness). — Do you allege that you did not 
commit adultery during your marriage with Mr. Rickard ? — 
I allege nothing. I refuse to answer that question. 

Mr. Flowers. — But I have understood you to say no? 
Witness. — Certainly. 

Mr. Lewis. — Pardon me. She has not said no. I repeat 
the question. — I refuse to answer it. 

Mr. Lewis. — Then I must ask you, sir, to compel her to 
answer. 

Mr. Flowers. —I can't go so far as that. And to what 
does this lead ? Supposing she has lived the life of a demon, 
how will that affect the case of Mrs. Fletcher ? 

Mr. Lewis. — I am going to show the real reason for the 
transferring of this property. What was the name of the co- 
respondent ? — I will not swear. 

Mr. Wontner suggested that the file of proceedings would 
supply the information. 

Mr. Flowers ruled that Mr. Lewis could not ask the ques- 
tion. He did not see how it could affect the case, and would 
only drag the name of some one not connected with it before 



428 APPENDIX I. 

the public. All this evidence seemed to him to show the 
immense power the prisoner had over this woman. 

Mr. Lewis lamented to hear such an observation from the 
learned magistrate. He might at once say he intended to call 
a large number of witnesses to prove his case. 

Mr. Flowers still ruled that the question concerning the 
name should not be put. 

Mr. Lewis. — I observe, in writing to Mr. Fletcher, you 
address him as brother. Is that a Spiritual term ? — I used the 
term as any lady would who put her trust in a family as I did. 

Mr. Lewis repeated the question. Witness. — My heart 
was too true to make any definition. The term was used in 
the sense of brother in faith and brother in fact. 

When you say brother in faith, do you mean the common 
faith in Spiritualism ? — I don't understand your definition. I 
cannot comprehend you. 

Mr. Flowers. — Do I understand you to mean as an 
adopted brother? — Yes. 

Mr. Lewis. — Is Mr. Fletcher the only man you have ad- 
dressed as brother who was not your brother by blood ? — I 
don't remember. 

Mr. Lewis handed the witness a letter which commenced 
"Sweet Brother," and the witness admitted that she had 
written it. 

In what sense did you use the words "sweet brother" ? — 
In the sense of a true friend. 

In 1871, and down to March, 1872, were you living with Mr. 
Rickard ? — I was nearly always abroad. I don't remember. 

Was your marriage subsisting in Februaiy, 1872 ? — As we 
were both alive, I suppose it was. I was abroad at the time. 
I was called his wife. 

Mr. Wontner again asked whether it was competent for his 



APPENDIX I. 429 

friend to enter into matters that occurred in the years 1871 or 
1ST2. 

Mr. Lewis handed the witness a letter, and asked her if it 
was written before, or after, the dissolution of her marriage. 

Mr. Flowers looked at the letter, and expressed his surprise 
that it should he in the possession of the solicitor for the 
defence. But supposing the reading of this letter injured her 
moral status, and many expressions might be considered un- 
wise, how could it^ affect the matter ? 

The witness stated that the letter had been written ten years 
ago, whereupon Mr. Flowers expressed his opinion that the 
cross-examination thereon was irrelevant. 

Mr. Lewis said he had a number of letters and sketches, 
which, he ventured to say, if published, would bring the pub- 
lisher within the provisions of the criminal law. Having 
quoted from Starkie on Evidence, to show how far the witness 
was bound to answer questions, he said he was afraid the time 
had now come when he should be bound to disclose the case 
for the defence. His case would be to show that the prosecu- 
trix was a woman of no character, that she went into no society 
whatever, that she was entirely alone, without, so to speak, a 
friend in the world. It was alleged that she obtained an in- 
troduction into the Fletchers' house by stratagem. He (Mr. 
Lewis) would show that the Fletchers were visited by people 
of the highest social position, men distinguished in art and 
literature, and he submitted that it was of vital consequence 
to the prosecutrix to insinuate herself into such society. He 
would show that there was a perfect, good, and valid consid- 
eration for the gift of this property, and that it was really 
pressed and forced upon them. The deed of gift was prepared 
without the knowledge of the defendant: and, when it was sub- 
mitted to her, she immediately referred it to her husband. It 



430 APPENDIX I. 

was only ultimately, upon express understanding and bargain 
that Mrs. Hart-Davies should be received into the house of 
the Fletchers free of expense, that this property was handed 
over. In order to establish the defence, he (Mr. Lewis) must 
show what the antecedents of the prosecutrix were. 

Mr. Flowers decided not to admit the evidence of the letters ; 
and Mr. Lewis then asked for an adjournment, during which 
he would consider whether he should apply for a mandamus 
to compel the magistrate to admit it. 

After some discussion, this course was acceded to; next 
Saturday being fixed for the further hearing. 

On Saturday, Feb. 16, Mr. Lewis said, that, since the adjourn- 
ment, he had had the great advantage of a consultation with 
Mr. Day, Q.C., and Mr. Besley; and he might say, with perfect 
respect to the learned magistrate, that they were of opinion, 
notwithstanding the ruling, that the questions he desired to 
put in cross-examination were relevant and admissible; but at 
the same time they were also of opinion that the magistrate 
sitting there had uncontrolled power and right either to allow, 
or refuse to allow, certain questions to be put. Having regard 
to what had taken place as to the reception of evidence in the 
memorable case of the Queen vs. Labouchere, and also hav- 
ing regard to what had been thrown out by a learned judge, 
that the Court would not review a magistrate's discretion, no 
application had been made for a mandamus. He wished, how- 
ever, to ask the witness two or three questions the magistrate 
had ruled to be inadmissible, so that they might appear as dis- 
allowed on the depositions. 

Mr. Wontner said that there was no occasion to put the 
prosecutrix to further pain in the matter. The Crown would 
make no attempt to do any thing against the interests of the 
defendant; and he personally would guarantee that the evi- 



APPENDIX I. 431 

dence of the prosecutrix should not be put in at the trial, unless 
she was present. 

Mr. Lewis replied that he was quite content with that assur- 
ance. He could not conceive there would be any advantage 
in cross-examining any other witnesses there, or to call any ; 
and he therefore reserved the defence. 

Mrs. Fletcher was then formally committed to take her trial 
at the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court, being 
allowed out on the same bail as before for her appearance- 



APPENDIX II 

LETTER OF DR. T. L. NICHOLS TO THE " BANNER 
OF LIGHTS 

To the Editor of the "Banner of Light."— -I have 
thought that some account of the Fletcher case might be 
of interest to your readers in America and throughout the 
world. The " Banner of Light " goes everywhere, as is right; 
and your readers want the truth, no more and no less. 

The prosecution of Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher for fraud is one 
of a series of severe blows to Spiritualists. It is not the first, 
and will not be the last. We had an almost exactly similar 
case with Home, when he accepted a gift of three hundred 
thousand dollars from a wealthy Jewess who insisted upon 
adopting him, and making him her heir. The trial of that 
case brought out a great body of testimony to the facts of 
Spiritualism. 

The prosecution of Slade led directly to the investigation of 
the phenomena by Professor Zollner and his fellow-professors 
of Leipsic, and the publication of the splendid results of their 
investigations.. The so-called exposures of mediums in Eng- 
land have been a means of advancing the cause. It is an un- 
pleasant method, but very effectual. The newspapers will not, 
because they dare not, publish the facts that are or would be 
offered to them by Spiritualists in favor of Spiritualism ; but 
432 



APPENDIX II. 433 

they give their columns freely to the smallest details of any 
scandal or prosecution. So the blood of the martyrs was the 
seed of the church. No doubt the spirits might save their 
mediums from these prosecutions, but they do not see fit to do 
so. Probably they have good reasons. Their work is to spread 
Spiritualism, and they know what will do it. 

It seemed to us that Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher committed a 
grave indiscretion in taking charge of the property and person 
of Mrs. Hart-Davies; but, after receiving a full account of the 
matter, I am not disposed to blame them. She appealed to 
their benevolence. They gave her an asylum, and received her 
property, the amount of which has been exaggerated. I can 
have no doubt that the Fletchers acted in simple kindness and- 
good faifti. It seemed a good arrangement for all parties that 
Mrs. Davies should have an asylum, and that her property 
should be saved for her own benefit. But, from a worldly 
point of view, it was a great mistake, owing to the peculiar 
disposition of Mrs. Davies. I will not anticipate the facts that 
must come out in the cross-examination and in the course of 
the trial. 

Mrs. Fletcher's coming to England under the circumstances 
was simply and sublimely heroic. She knew precisely what 
she had to encounter. She left New York with a telegram in 
her pocket, assuring her that she would be arrested before she 
left the steamer at Greenock; yet she left her sick husband 
and family, determined to face a prison, perhaps penal servi- 
tude, to meet the charge. On the last day of a most tempestu- 
ous voyage she told the captain, to his great astonishment, 
that the police would come on board to take her to London. 
She sang her last song with her fellow-passengers, and quietly 
went on shore with the officer in plain clothes who bore the 
warrant for her arrest. He did his best to find her decent 



434 appendix n. 

accommodation in London, but was obliged to take her to 
Bow Street. The old police-court and lock-up here is one of 
the worst m London, and in one of the lowest districts, includ- 
ing St. Giles and the Seven Dials. Fielding has left a graphic 
account of what he had to deal with when he was a Bow-street 
magistrate. A new court and prison of magnificent propor- 
tions are nearly -completed; but in the mean time the old ones 
are at their worst, and Mrs. Fletcher was obliged to stay there 
one night. Her friends, who met her at the railway terminus, 
did the best they could, by buying rugs, etc., to make her com- 
fortable; and in the morning, after the formal charge, she was 
remanded to the House of Detention. 

It is a principle of English law that an accused person is to 
be considered innocent until he is proven guilty: the practice 
is to treat him worse than if he were guilty until he is proven 
to be innocent. Mr. Flowers, the magistrate, considered the 
charge, as made by the Jewish police-lawyer Abrahams, so seri- 
ous, that he refused bail: so Mrs. Fletcher was taken to Clerk- 
enwell. Two persons were allowed to speak to her each day, 
for fifteen minutes, through a grating. She was compelled to 
live on prison-fare; and all presents, even fruits and flowers, 
were rigidly excluded. This, however, did not last long. Mr. 
Lewis, one of the best London solicitors, was engaged; and 
when he stated to the magistrate that the property of the prose- 
cutrix had been restored to her and that he had a perfect 
defence, bail in five thousand dollars was accepted, and given 
at once by two prominent Spiritualists, one of whom is him- 
self a magistrate and a man of wealth and position. 

The remand was for a week. A crowded court welcomed 
Mrs. Fletcher to her seat of honor in the prisoner's dock in 
the centre of the court. Her solicitor was ready to cross-ex- 
amine the prosecutrix, but there was a further delay. A few 



APPENDIX II. 435 

months ago a reform was made in English criminal proceed- 
ings, by the appointment of a public prosecutor. This officer 
had decided that this case was one of public interest ; and he 
took it out of the hands of Mr. Abrahams, and instructed Mr, 
Wontner, who, of course, wanted time for preparation: so the 
case went over to Dec. 21. 

Mrs. Fletcher has come here expressly to have a full investi- 
gation. Mr. Fletcher's medical adviser would not consent to 
his crossing the Atlantic. She is quite equal to the occasion, 
and confident of success. Her friends are perfectly satisfied 
of her innocence; and those who were disposed at first to 
blame her and her husband for imprudence are obliged to 
admit, when they know the circumstances, that they would 
probably have done the same. It is not possible to predict the 
verdict of a British jury, perhaps of any jury. I have seen a 
man convicted, and sentenced to death, whom I knew to be 
innocent. He received, a few days later, her Majesty's par- 
don. The red tape in the hangman's halter could be cut 
no other way. I have not a shadow of doubt of the perfect 
innocence of Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher, nor that, in all this mat- 
ter, they did what they thought was for the best in regard to 
the woman who is now doing her worst to destroy them. And 
I have no doubt that this prosecution will advance the cause 
of Spiritualism more, perhaps, than many years of ordinary 
effort. 

The Fletcher trial was, of course, adjourned over the holi- 
days, and will be resumed on the 7th of January. Mr. Lewis, 
the solicitor for the defence, will do his best to get justice for 
his client: but in the higher court, which will try the case if 
it goes to trial, no solicitor can appear; he can only instruct 
a barrister. And the cost of legal proceedings, the cost of jus- 
tice, in this country, is enormous. A solicitor of Mr. Lewis's 
standing expects a retaining-fee of two hundred and fifty 



436 APPENDIX II. 

dollars, with corresponding fees for each appearance in court. 
The barrister will require one thousand dollars, and his junior, 
five hundred dollars, with daily " refreshers." The chance of 
a poor man is very small. Happily Mrs. Fletcher has friends 
on both sides of the Atlantic. 

What we want is a full and fair trial, in which evidence 
shall be given of the facts of Spiritualism. A hundred wit- 
nesses of the highest credibility can be put into the witness- 
box to testify that they have received undoubted messages 
from their spirit-friends through Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher. Per- 
sons as high as any in English society, even the very highest, 
can give this testimony. Our only fear is, that the case may 
break down before this evidence is admitted, and published to 
the world. 

Success in any way provokes envy, and of envy comes 
malice and all sorts of uncharitableness. Spiritualists, I 
regret to say, are much like other people. Those who make 
friends thereby make enemies. The chief inciter of the prose- 
cution is a healing-medium, so called ; and his most active 
coadjutor is, I am sorry to say, the editor of a Spiritualist 
paper. It is not pleasant to see such things, but I remember 
that Judas was one of the twelve. 

The importance of the case to Spiritualism rests upon the 
fact, that every medium in England who takes two and six- 
pence for a seance is liable to be prosecuted, and sent to prison 
for three months, under a law passed in the reign of George 
III. against fortune-tellers. 

" Light," a new Spiritualist weekly paper, is to be published 
on the 8th of January, and not too soon, for we very much 
need a good organ of the cause in the world's metropolis. 

T. L. Nichols. 

32 Fopstone-road, Earl's Court, London, S.W., 
Dec. 29, 1880. 



APPENDIX III. 

REPORT OF THE OPENING SPEECH OF MR. MON- 
TAGU WILLIAMS FOR THE PROSECUTION. 

Ix opening the case for the prosecution, Mr. Montagu 
Williams said he had to lay before the jury a story of fraud 
and chicanery which had been seldom equalled, and never sur- 
passed, in the history of the criminal courts of this country, 
Mrs. Hart-Davies, the prosecutrix, was a lady thirty-eight 
years of age, the daughter of a Mrs. Heurtley, a lady of con- 
siderable property, and much addicted to jewelry and finery — 
a complaint, he believed, very common amongst the sex. In 
the course of her life Mrs. Heurtley amassed a large quantity 
of jewels and a collection of valuable lace. When she died, 
she possessed lace to the value of four thousand or six thou- 
sand pounds. Iii addition, there were jewelry, Indian shawls, 
silks, and other articles of that description, amounting, with 
the lace, to something like ten thousand pounds. Mrs. Heurt- 
ley had also a good deal of money ; and to the prosecutrix, her 
only surviving daughter, she left the whole of this property. 
There was a life-interest intervening, but eventually Mrs. 
Hart-Davies would come into a fortune of many thousands of 
pounds. Eighteen years ago the prosecutrix married a man 
named Rickards, by whom she had one child, a boy, now aged 
seventeen; but the union was not a happy one, and, after much 

437 



438 APPENDIX III. 

mutual disagreement, husband and wife separated. Subse- 
quently Mr. Eickards instituted a suit for divorce, alleging 
adultery against bis wife, who, whilst denying her guilt, was 
persuaded by her mother that the best way of dissolving the 
incompatible marriage was to allow judgment to go by default. 
Accordingly, no appearance was made to the suit, and a rule 
absolute was decreed. Now, during the time prosecutrix was 
the wife of Mr. Rickards, she became acquainted, through her 
husband, with a gentleman of the name of Lindmark, a fact 
which he only mentioned because it was likely they might hear 
a deal about him, during the case, from the other side. Some 
time after the divorce the prosecutrix married a Mr. Hart- 
Davies. Again the union was not a happy one; but it was 
during the time that she was living with that gentleman at 79 
Farquhar Lodge, Upper Norwood, that she became acquainted 
with the prisoner and her husband. Mr. Hart-Davies was 
suffering from some ailment ; and the man Fletcher, who was 
credited with knowing something about curative processes, 
was called in to attend him. In this way began the intimacy 
between the prosecutrix and the Fletchers, who were then 
living at 22 Gordon Square. Shortly afterwards Mrs. Hart- 
Davies moved to Vernon Place, Bloomsbury, and afterwards 
went to Tours. On her return she w r ent to live with the 
Fletchers. By and by a party was formed for a trip to America. 
It consisted of the Fletchers and a stepson, Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
and Mr. Lindmark. At New York the company separated, 
Mr. Lindmark and Mrs. Fletcher going one w r ay, and Mr. 
Fletcher, his stepson, and Mrs. Hart-Davies, the other; the 
arrangement being that they should meet at Pleasant Lake, 
which they did. Up to this time the Fletchers were appar- 
ently firm and fast friends of the prosecutrix. He should here 
tell the jury, that at the very first interview Mr. Fletcher dis- 



APPENDIX III. 439 

covered that Mrs. Hart-Davies was a person of " extreme psy- 
chic force ; " and he told her, that, being a man of spiritualistic 
and mesmeric influence, he had the power of communicating 
by media with the spirit-world, wherever that might be. Mr. 
Fletcher seemed to have discovered this " psychic force" in 
Mrs. Hart-Davies by taking hold of her hand, which sent him 
into a trance, during which he had communication with the 
mother of that lady in the spirit-world. It was by this sort of 
delusion, and the influence created out of it, that the prisoner 
and her husband were able to denude the unfortunate prosecu- 
trix of every article she had in the world. The fraud was 
rendered the more easy because of the deep affection which 
had existed between Mrs. Hart-Davies and her mother. The 
Fletchers seemed to have discovered the confiding nature of 
the prosecutrix, and, from the commencement to the end, to 
have worked upon the credulity of the unfortunate lady, who 
really believed that through them she could commune with her 
dead mother. Now, the jury would find mixed up with all this 
Spiritualism an unexampled amount of blasphemy. Having 
made the prosecutrix believe that he was a powerful medium, 
the man Fletcher induced her to attend several seances at Stein- 
way Hall, where she was introduced to Mrs. Fletcher, who with 
female acuteness soon discovered that she was possessed of a 
large quantity of valuable jewelry, and was also entitled to the 
reversion of a considerable sum of money. The Fletchers then 
seemed to have laid their heads together with a view to deprive 
Mrs. Hart-Davies of all she had got. They did, in fact, strip 
her of every thing; and, furthermore, they induced her to exe- 
cute a deed of gift and a will, making over to them all she was 
entitled to. For this purpose Mr. Morton, an American, was 
brought on the scene. He was represented as a sort of secre- 
tary or lawyer ; and he drew up a document assigning away all 



440 APPENDIX t III. 

Mrs. Hart-Davies's property. Not satisfied with this letter, it 
was suggested that the prosecutrix should make a will. She 
had parted with all her property in esse ; but there was a large 
sum of money, thirty thousand or forty thousand pounds, to 
which she would become entitled on the death of a lady now 
living. Of that right, Morton induced the prosecutrix to will 
away every single shilling to the prisoner in the dock. She 
had been prepared for this by messages pretending to come 
from her mother in spirit-land. The following was- one of 
them : — 

"Oh, yes, I see it all — all the past! Poor, poor child! You have 
already suffered far more thau the common share of mankind; the body and 
spirit have been worn by the varied terrible trials which have preyed upon 
your strength; and more is that you have courageously sacrificed and ruled 
yourself to keep them shut out from the world's cognizance. Do you know 
what has been up to this hour your symbol ? It has been in the form of a 
cross, about so high (here the medium held his hand about four feet from 
the ground). Although you are so wasted by the persecuting reverses of 
your hitherto sad, sad life, yet have courage; for, my child, I am deputed to 
tell you that all your experiences are known to Heaven. Yes, God knows 
all your disappointments, all your hopes made barren, all the unrequited 
cravings of your loving heart. He knows your secret mental conflicts and 
your trials. . . . No, he will not count these against you. Take comfort, 
therefore, and learn that God remembers not against us our poor mistakes 
of ignorance. Our motives are what he searches, and keeps the records of. 
Cease to grieve, with fears, lest God's favor is withheld from you. Ah, no! 
for not one of your ardent longings and searchings after excellence of mind 
and life are lost to him. He garners them up : they are approved of by him. 
Know that the Father is with you, and that you are loved by him. Some 
troubles will yet visit you, but your future will become happier after a time. 
Strive all you can to place yourself in lively company. Your present life is 
unsuitable, and is wearing you away; because your nerve-power is continu- 
ally being thrown off without any return of the necessary vital power to 
replace that which is lost, and which only can be conveyed to you by influ- 
ences even more energetic than your own. In your present life and sur- 



appendix in. 441 

roundings you fail to receive that benefit. For want of a reciprocal strength 
imparting force for yourself, the quality you possess, of yielding your ner- 
vous power to those about you, will deter all hope of your recovering from 
the wasting decay which saps up your life, until the necessary support of a 
strong, inflowing nerve-essence is produced. I warn you, that, for the want 
of this influence, you are wearing out your life : therefore you really must cul- 
tivate the society of lively people, and be fed by the surroundings of highly 
nervous life. Be in that life. You must be very careful of yourself. You 
have no disease; but I have told you the cause of your sinking vitality, and 
it is the result of that cause that your circulation is imperfect. Your blood 
becomes absorbed unnaturally into the system, and it is now partly water 
with the blood : hence you complain of ianguor, aud weakness at the heart. 
I repeat emphatically, that, in your present life and surroundings, you give 
out to those around you your nerve-force; and, as you receive none in return, 
thie is wearing your life away, day by day, slowly and slowly. When you 
feel so ill and weary, the spirit of your mother often is with you, by your 
bed, striving to impart fresh strength to you. This, however, can only be 
successfully accomplished by the aid of favorable surrounding influences of 
earth-life. Cultivate them, and get them about you. Be not anxious about 
your future. Try and get stronger, and so enjoy life in the daily present : 
it is best so. Again I say, Be comforted and of good cheer, and have no 
fears that God has ever cast you out of his favor and love; You have a 
humble heart; and all throughout your life you have truly repented even the 
slightest faults, ay, even to regretting them so painfully as to have robbed 
you of much strength. Yet every regret is treasured in heaven, and will 
become your spirit's recompense hereafter; and your habitual secret aspira- 
tions after what is just and good will cause you to become all that you 
desire, and great will be your reward in the other life. Hope is yours. 
Live in the present, and ask God's blessing upon your present. Always 
cultivate your natural longings for spirit-intercourse: it is a necessity to 
you, and will help to support you. It is almost more than meat and drink 
to you. Is your mother here now? Yes, dear child. She places her hands 
over your head. She is often with you. She is your guardian spirit. TThen 
you die — oh ! I can see . it is your mother who will come with open arms 
to receive you. She will place a wreath of bright, shining flowers upon your 
head. You will hear above you angels' voices singing in rejoicing at the 
birth of another spirit into spirit-life. To see a light afar off. There is 



442 APPENDIX III. 

the home already prepared for you in heaven. Be at peace, ray poor child, 
and remember all you have just heard. Live in hope, and trust as you have 
ever trusted, and be happy. Good-by." 

The jury would see that there was an amount of blas- 
phemy mixed up in these matters that was perfectly terrible. 

This message, I must here observe, had been copied from 
the note-book of Mrs. Hart-Davies, where she had written 
it down from memory. Of course I cannot speak as to its 
accuracy, but it seems very improbable that any one should 
afterwards be able to record verbatim so long a message. 

Mr. Williams then read another message, also recorded 
from memory by Mrs. Hart-Davies, and then said, — 

Then there was another message, signed "Mums," which he 
[Mr. Williams] supposed was short for "mother" in the spirit- 
world. 

The Judge. — It may be another spirit. 

Mr. Williams. — I do not suppose it means the "spar- 
kling," my lord. [Laughter.] The learned counsel went on 
to say, that, when Morton was introduced for the purpose of 
drawing up the deed of gift, the prosecutrix was on one occa- 
sion asked to look into a crystal globe, where, the Fletchers 
said, a man was to be seen writing. This was done as a prepa- 
ration for what was to follow. It was suggested that an 
intimacy of an improper character had existed between Mr. 
Lindmark and Mrs. Hart-Davies, but the prosecutrix would 
give an unqualified denial to that imputation in the witness- 
box. She lost sight of the man for several years ; but, when 
Mrs. Hart-Davies went to live with the prisoner and her hus- 
band, he suddenly turned up again. He represented himself 
as a materialist, and, getting introduced to the Fletchers at 



APPENDIX III. 443 

their seances, became a constant visitor at Gordon Square. 
There was no doubt that he was on terms of the greatest inti- 
macy with Mrs. Fletcher, as was shown by the fact that she 
accompanied him by herself in America. Previous to starting 
on the voyage, Mrs. Hart-Davies had noticed this intimacy; 
and, when the party got on board ship, the prisoner treated her 
with a certain coldness. As the intimacy of Mrs. Fletcher 
with Lindmark increased, the intimacy between the two women 
declined. Mrs. Hart-Davies noticed that the prisoner had with 
her on the steamer a large number of boxes, which they now 
knew contained the bulk of prosecutrix' property; and, by 
the time they had met at Lake Pleasant, she had come to the 
conclusion that she had been swindled. The law was appealed 
to, and a portion of the property recovered; and, on her re- 
turn to England, Mrs. Hart-Davies managed also to repossess 
herself of a quantity of goods which had been left behind 
at Gordon Street. In consequence of the proceedings that 
had been taken, the deed of gift was declared null and void, 
and the will was cancelled. He was at a loss to know what 
defence could be raised to the indictment. Would his learned 
friend contend, as a matter of fact, that the property was left 
with the prisoner for safe custody ? If so, why did she not 
deliver it up when it was demanded ? and where, in that case, 
was the necessity for the deed of gift, or the will ? In all 
probability the defence would be, that the property was made 
a free gift by Mrs. Hart-Davies to prisoner and her husband, 
and that she was not induced to execute that gift by fraud. 
That would be the exact point, which he believed his lordship 
would leave to the jury; but he should submit, upon the evi- 
dence he had to call, that under the false pretence that these 
people had the power of communing with the spirit-world, and 
of bringing this unfortunate lady into communication with 



444 APPENDIX III. 

her dead mother, the prisoner and the absent defendants in- 
duced Mrs. Hart-Davies to part with all the property she pos- 
sessed. The jury, he thought, would have no hesitation in 
coming to the conclusion that the prisoner and her husband, 
and the man Morton, were jugglers, and that they confederated 
and combined to cheat the prosecutrix out of her property. 



APPENDIX IV. 

CHARGE TO THE JURY BY JUSTICE HAWKINS. 

The learned judge proceeded to sum up. The indictment, 
which consisted of nine counts, charged, he said, the prisoner 
with obtaining by false pretences a quantity of jewelry, wear- 
ing-apparel, and other goods, and also the execution of a deed 
of gift. The substance of the false pretences was, that the 
prisoner, in connection with her husband and a man named 
Morton, represented to the prosecutrix that the spirit of her 
deceased mother had desired that these gifts should be made, 
and the deed executed ; and the prosecution alleged that these 
pretences were false to the knowledge of the accused person. 
Then there were other counts, charging the prisoner with con- 
spiring with her husband and Morton in respect to the same 
property and the deed of gift. There was a count charging 
conspiracy to steal; but upon that point he should direct a 
verdict of not guilty, there being no evidence to support the 
allegation. There was yet another count, charging that the 
prisoner, in company with two other persons, pretended to 
withcraft, sorcery, and enchantment; but he considered that 
part of the indictment so utterly bad, that he had taken upon 
himself to quash it. Before dealing with the evidence that 
had been adduced in support of the various charges, his lord- 
ship laid before the jury a general history of the case, com- 

445 



446 APPENDIX IV. 

meriting upon various points as he proceeded. The object of 
the cross-examination of Mrs. Hart-Davies in reference to her 
divorce was to disparage the credit of the prosecutrix; but it 
would be for the jury to say whether, after the explanation 
they had heard of that case, — viz., that Mrs. Hart-Davies put 
in no answer to the charge of adultery, not because she was 
guilty, but because she desired to dissolve an unhappy mar- 
riage, — sufficient remained to induce them to withhold credit 
to the lady's statements. Again : it had been suggested that the 
estimate of ten thousand pounds, which Mrs. Hart-Davies put 
on her property, could not be true, inasmuch as she had herself 
sworn her mother's estate under a hundred pounds. Of course 
it would be a serious matter if it could be shown that the prose- 
cutrix swore the property below its proper value in order to 
defraud the revenue by avoiding legacy duty; but whether it 
would disentitle her to belief in this case was a question en- 
tirely for the jury. Mrs. Hart-Davies, however, had explained 
that the property was given her by her mother during her life- 
time. In one part of her evidence the prosecutrix said that the 
Fletchers got from her, not only her jewels and clothes, but 
also the greater part of her income of three hundred pounds a 
year. Whence that income was derived, they knew not. They 
knew there was a Mr. James Penrose Hart-Davies, that he had 
been a sailor, and that his wife desired him to be treated with 
respect, but beyond that they had no information as to the 
gentleman. Whether, in the end, it would be desirable to have 
some further introduction of Mr. Hart-Davies was for the jury 
to consider. In regard to the relationship of the pair, there 
was no trace of disagreement between them during the time 
they were at Farquhar Lodge. Whilst there, they had it in 
contemplation to visit town together; but, from the moment 
Mrs. Hart-Davies left Vernon Place on that journey, they did 



APPENDIX IV. 447 

not seem to have been again in communication. How and 
why the relationship was broken, the jury might possibly divine 
for themselves; but it was only right to say that it was not 
suggested that Mr. Hart-Davies had been guilty of any cruelty 
or impropriety that caused his wife to separate from him. Now, 
as to the persons who were represented as the criminal actors 
in the scene, — the Fletchers and their friend Morton, — it was 
necessary that he should explain, that, although they were 
jointly charged in the indictment, it was open to the jury to 
find all of them, or either of them, guilty or not guilty. He 
must say, that, in regard to some of the charges, he had failed 
to find any evidence fixing criminality on Morton. Of Mr. 
Fletcher's antecedents they had no information whatsoever, 
except that he was an American and a Spiritualistic doctor 
giving seances and lectures at Steinway Hall. Of Mrs. Fletcher 
they had scarely any more information. Whether she was 
English or American by birth, they knew not. All they knew 
was, that she got a society around .her at Gordon Street, and 
that she took a great deal of interest in her husband's Spiritu- 
alist proceedings. It was whilst the Hart-Davieses were at 
Farquhar Lodge that the acquaintance with the Fletchers com- 
menced, first of all by the introduction of the husband as a 
Spiritualistic doctor. The prosecutrix, at that time, was an 
imaginative, excitable sort of person, already admitting herself 
to be somewhat of a believer in Spiritualism, inasmuch as she 
affirmed that she had seen her dead mother in her dreams and 
her waking visions. It was alleged that the prisoner and her 
husband, finding the prosecutrix to be a weak, flighty woman, 
inclined to believe all that was told her concerning Spiritual- 
ism, laid their heads together to deprive Mrs. Hart-Davies of 
her property by communicating to her messages purporting to 
come from her dead mother, but which they knew to be false. 



448 APPENDIX IV. 

The question was not whether the Fletchers got the jewels 
by representing that the spirit of the dead mother had really 
communicated to her that which induced Mrs. Hart-Davies to 
part with them; the question was, ay or nay, did the prisoner 
honestly believe the truth of what she told the i rosecutrixf Did 
the Fletchers honestly believe that they weie in communion 
with the spirit of the mother? Did prisoner believe the dead 
mother had in words communicated, through the medium of 
Mr. Fletcher, an order that her daughter should part with her 
jewels and clothes, or did she avail herself of the credulity of 
Mrs. Hart-Davies to tell her that which she knew to be untrue, 
with the view to induce her to part with her property ? It 
would be shocking to suppose that an honest belief in Spiritual- 
ism was a crime according to the law of this country. People 
had a right to believe that which they thought fit. As he had 
said, the question was not whether a hundred thousand or more 
of persons believed in Spiritualism, or in communion with the 
departed, but whether fraudulent concoctions had been passed 
off upon the prosecutrix as messages coming from the spirit 
of her mother. That was the sole question the jury had to 
determine, and their verdict would not in the slightest degree 
affect the conscientious belief of those interested in this in- 
quiry. Now, they would remember that Mrs. Hart-Davies, 
in her evidence, stated that she told Mr. Fletcher at the 
first interview that she had been more than a common suf- 
ferer, but that she did not enter into details. In the message 
she then received she Avas told by " Mamma," "You have 
suffered more than the common share of mankind." The 
message was couched in generalities. There were no refer- 
ences to particular persons, places, or circumstances. The 
only person referred to was the prosecutrix' mother, about 
whom her daughter had always been anxious, and of whom 



APPENDIX IV. 449 

she was always speaking. There was no mention of any one 
whom the mother had known in life, and to whom she could 
refer her daughter for that counsel and advice of which the 
message alleged she stood so much in need. This fact was 
worthy of remembrance in connection with the fact, that, at 
that time, the medium through whom the message came knew 
very little of the prosecutrix' life. At the introduction at 
Upper Norwood, where Mrs. Fletcher intimated that .she was 
so attracted to Mrs. Hart-Davies that she desired to become 
as a sister, the jewels were shown to the prisoner. That was 
important to recollect. Some short time afterwards, during 
one of her trances, Mrs. Fletcher communicated a message 
from " Mamma," to the effect that her daughter should not 
wear the jewels too often, because the magnetism in them was 
so strong that it might help to take her out of the world be- 
fore her time. " Mamma/' in fact, directed that her daughter 
should hand the jewels, for affection's sake, to Mrs. Fletcher, 
to hold as if they were her own. After that, they found Mrs. 
Hart-Davies taking an amethyst brooch and a diamond suite 
(the jewels prisoner had seen at Farquhar Lodge) to Gordon 
Street, where the table rapped out, "Dear Juliet, do as I have 
instructed you ; " the message being written on a piece of paper 
by Mrs. Fletcher. 

A Juryman. — Has the handwriting been identified? 

Mr. Williams. — Mrs. Hart-Davies said the prisoner wrote 
it. 

The Judge. — Of coarse the whole of this case depends upon 
whether you believe the evidence of the prosecutrix, or not. If 
you do not, the whole fabric of the case comes down. If Mrs. 
Hart-Davies has not spoken the truth, if she has concocted these 
letters for the purpose of convicting the prisoner and her hus- 
band, then her machinations vsould be of so diabolical a charac- 



450 APPENDIX IV. 

ter that she would herself deserve to stand in the dock. But 
here 3 T ou have her evidence that she saw Mrs. Fletcher write 
the message, and the paper bears the printed heading of Gor- 
don Street. The learned judge went on to say, that he was 
bound to direct the jury that the offence, if offence there was, 
was completed when the amethyst brooch and the diamonds 
were handed over. The question was, Did Mrs. Fletcher, hav- 
ing seen the jewels at Norwood, make up her mind to become 
possessed of them? and, if so, did she invent a pretended mes- 
sage from the mother directing them to be handed over ? If 
so, did the jury believe that it was in consequence of these 
representations the jewels were handed over ? If they came 
to that conclusion, they would have further to consider whether 
Mrs. Fletcher knew the pretences to be false, and put them 
forward for the purpose of cheating and defrauding Mrs. Hart- 
Davies of her property. They would remember that the 
prosecutrix left the interview with Mrs. Fletcher under the 
impression, inferred from the message, that she had disobeyed 
her mother's injunctions, whereupon she packed up the re- 
mainder of her jewels, and as soon as possible conveyed them 
to Gordon Street. Going down upon her knees, she placed the 
jewels in Mr. Fletchers lap. That gentleman then went into 
a trance, and delivered a message purporting to come from the 
mother, who said, " Bless you, my child, for having obeyed 
my instructions," and expressed a hope that " Bertie" would 
have no compunction as to wearing the jewels as if they were 
her own. It was for the jury to decide what construction was 
to be put on those incidents. He now came to the question of 
the wardrobe. Mrs. Hart-Davies had told them that she con- 
templated going to Tours, and that the Fletchers had urged 
her to send her property to their house, as they had plenty of 
room, and could take care of it during her absence. The pris- 



APPENDIX IV. 451 

oner had previously seen the wardrobe of Mrs. Heurtley, and 
had remarked to the prosecutrix, that it would be harmful for 
her to touch her mother's dresses, because of the magnetism 
that was in them. In consequence of that, the prosecutrix 
had informed them that the prisoner packed the things herself, 
and they were taken to the house in Gordon Street. Mrs. 
Hart-Davies said she had no objection to this, because it 
brought her nearer to her mother. The things remained at. 
the Fletchers' house until the rupture took place between the 
parties, except those, however, which were taken to America. 
It was given in evidence by Mrs. Hart-Davies that there was an 
honorable understanding that the goods should be returned when 
they were required. That might be so, but the jury must 
consider the matter. They must not, however, find the main 
turning-point there; because, although there might have been 
an honorable understanding, notwithstanding the magnetism 
in the things, that they should be returned, the jury must 
consider whether there was an intention on the part of the 
Fletchers, at the time the wardrobe was received, honorably 
to perform such an engagement, or whether the understanding 
about the magnetism was simply a trick to induce the prosecu- 
trix to part with her property in the way described. He next 
came to the third charge, and that was with reference to the 
deed of gift. The evidence upon that matter was to the effect, 
that, before Mrs. Davies left Farquhar Lodge, she was intro- 
duced to Col. Morton by the Fletchers at their house in Gordon 
Street. She was informed that he was they- lawyer, and an 
American; but she subsequently ascertained that he was a 
lodger in the house, paying two guineas a week. After the 
first interview with Morton, Mrs. Davies saw him constantly. 
On one occasion the prosecutrix was alone with the prisoner 
in Gordon Street, when the latter took up a crystal ball, and 



452 APPENDIX IV. 

said, " I see a man with a brown beard sitting at a table writ- 
ing, and you appear to be sitting beside him." Mrs. Davies 
thereupon said she recognized the man with the brown beard 
as Mr. Morton. The prisoner told her, that, since she had 
received the jewels, she felt anxious about the responsibility 
of them, for fear of what the outside world might say when 
the prosecutrix had gone abroad. She then asked Mrs. Davies 
to give her some protecting document; and, for the purpose of 
having this document drawn out, she had an interview with 
Col. Morton. It must be remembered that the prisoner had 
recommended Mrs. Davies to go to Morton, and he [the learned 
judge] thought it right that he should here state with reference 
to Morton, although he was not now taking his trial, what was 
the evidence which affected him. Although it was charged 
against him that he induced Mrs. Davies to sign the deed, 
there was another count charging him with conspiracy. Mr. 
Addison, so far as the conspiracy counts were concerned, had 
raised a point to the effect that husband and wife alone could 
not, in point of law, conspire, and therefore, although the jury 
might come to the conclusion that Fletcher and his wife did 
conspire, they could not indict them jointly for conspiracy, 
because husband and wife were supposed to have only one 
mind, and one mind could not conspire with itself. The 
learned counsel drew from that, that, unless Col. Morton was 
associated with the Fletchers as a conspirator, the charge of 
conspiracy against husband and wife could not be sustained. 
That objection w,as not in his opinion a good objection in law. 
It would be revolting to common sense, if it were shown that 
the wife was the instigator of the crime, and compelled the 
husband to join her— it would be revolting if the law were in 
such a condition as this, that a woman, in such a case as he 
had instanced, should be allowed to go scot-free, because she 



APPENDIX IV. 453 

was married to the man whom she by her influence had 
forced to join her in the conspiracy, and that the husband 
should be left to bear the whole brunt of the charge. He had 
not really determined the point raised by Mr. Addison; but, for 
the purposes of that day, he had come to a decision, and he 
saw no reason why the indictment for conspiracy should not 
be urged against the prisoner. But upon that matter he must 
take their verdict. If they found that the prisoner did not 
conspire with Morton, then it would get rid of the legal point 
that had been raised ; but they must not, merely for the sake 
of getting rid of the legal technical objection, strain or allow 
the evidence as against Morton to carry them beyond the fair 
and legitimate effect of that evidence. Although Morton was 
not upon his trial, it was necessary that they should inquire 
whether he joined in the unlawful conspiracy and combination. 
With regard to the original false pretence, he had looked in 
vain to find any evidence that Morton was one of those who 
took part in it. There was nothing to make him a joint par- 
ticipator in obtaining the jewels and wardrobe by false pre- 
tences. But the next question arose, Was he a conspirator to 
an unlawful deed? and did he, by unlawful means and by false 
pretences, combine with either the prisoner, her husband, or 
with both, to induce Mrs. Hart-Davies to sign the deed of gift? 
It might be that the Fletchers induced the prosecutrix to go 
to Morton under false representations, but of that they would 
have to inquire. The main question was, Did Morton himself 
knov: that he was preparing a deed which was of a fraudulent 
character ? That was the point, so far as it affected the con- 
spiracy between the Fletchers and Morton; and the jury would 
have to consider whether the conspiracy existed between the 
Fletchers and Morton, or between the Fletchers alone. The 
deed which was drawn up by Morton gave the property to 



454 APPENDIX IV. 

Mrs. Fletcher to be hers absolutely; but it was stated by Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, that the prisoner requested that the things which 
she had in her possession should be made more binding upon 
her. For the purpose of carrying out that wish, Mrs. Davies 
again sought an interview with Morton, who made out a draught 
letter, requesting that she should put her own head and tail to 
it, and copy it out at home. The prosecutrix stated that she 
took the letter home, copied it upon her own note-paper, and 
sent the copy to the prisoner. That letter made over to the 
prisoner, as a humble and free gift, the property which be- 
longed to the prosecutrix; and the jury must form their own 
conclusion upon the whole of the circumstances. His lordship 
next directed attention to the events which took place after 
the prosecutrix left Norwood for Vernon Place. Vernon Place 
appeared to have been taken for some temporary purpose. The 
prosecutrix had contemplated, shortly after her removal there, 
a visit to France; and, that being so, the subject of the will was 
introduced. It appeared from the evidence that the will was 
made at the suggestion of the prosecutrix herself. She sought 
another interview with Morton upon the matter, and he sug- 
gested that she should leave her property where it was most 
useful. Thereupon she expressed a desire that it should be 
left to the cause of Spiritualism in its highest phases. Morton 
advised her that her intention could only be carried out 
through individuals, and remarked, in the words of the prose- 
cutrix, " Who could be better than my brother and sister?" 
meaning the Fletchers. Mrs. Davies had stated that she had 
several conversations with the prisoner about the will, and 
said that she spoke to her mother, through the prisoner, upon 
the subject, receiving the answer, " Go to Col. Morton, and he 
will recommend a good solicitor." She obeyed what she be- 
lieved to be the command of her mother, delivered through 



APPENDIX IV. 455 

the prisoner, and went to Col. Morton, who accompanied her 
to the firm of Field, Roscoe, & Francis, as they had heard. It 
was perfectly certain, that, if it was intended that the prop- 
erty of the prosecutrix should be disposed of so as to promote 
the interests of Spiritualism in its highest phases, there was 
no such suggestion made in the will itself: on the contrary, 
the will was prepared in such a way that it was evidently 
intended that the property should be realized, received, and 
enjoyed by the Fletchers individually; because it was to be 
divided between them in equal moieties, and Mrs. Fletcher 
was to enjoy her share separately, and apart from her husband. 
Whether there was a conspiracy to bring about that state of 
things by fraudulent means, was a question for consideration. 
He would have them understand that there was no crime in a 
man endeavoring to win any person over to leave him property. 
If undue influence was used, a will could be set aside; but the 
mere exercise of civility, affection, or persuasion, with a view 
of prevailing upon a person to leave property in a certain 
direction, was not a crime. The charge here was not that there 
was undue influence exercised, but that there were fraudulent 
practices. In his opinion, the evidence upon that point was 
much slighter than upon any other part of the case. They 
might say that it was wrong to exercise undue influence; but 
it was another thing to say that that constituted a criminal 
offence, unless the execution of the will was procured by 
fraudulent misrepresentations. In that case, of course, a 
charge of conspiracy might be maintained. The evidence of 
any criminality in regard to this will was very weak; though, 
at the same time, no human being could look upon the docu- 
ment with any thing like favor. 

The Court at this point adjourned for luncheon. On the 
resumption of the proceedings, 



456 appendix iy. 

The judge proceeded to read a number of the Fletcher 
letters, which to his mind threw considerable light on the ques- 
1ion of the bond fides of the prisoner and her husband. The 
word "scrunch," which appeared so frequently, did not seem 
to have been used in any indecent sense: in fact, it was part of 
the sheerest nonsense in the world. In one of the letters 
Mr. Fletcher spoke of a box of linen sent to Gordon Street, 
which had an influence about it which he at once recognized as 
coming from " Julie." It turned out, however, that it was a 
box of servants' dirty linen: so how it could have possessed 
an influence, either of " JuMe" or her deceased mother, was 
difficult to understand. There was no doubt that Mrs. Hart- 
Davies did spend some time in Paris with Mr. Fletcher, and 
she admitted having sat by him, and laid her head upon his 
breast; but she indignantly denied having courted any immo- 
rality, and afterwards resented what she thought a disposition 
on the part of Fletcher to treat her otherwise than as a brother 
should a sister. The jury, perhaps, would be able to judge 
from the letters whether there was any such disposition on the 
part of Mr. Fletcher. It was not quite clear why the party 
went to America, — it might have been some magnetic influ- 
ence which attracted them, — but there was no doubt that on 
the way out this lady, who was to have represented " Affection 
in the Trinity," considered that she had been neglected; and 
the film having, as she said, dropped from her eyes, she came 
to the conclusion that she had been swindled. It was impor- 
tant the jury should not overlook the words of Mrs. Fletcher 
when the demand was made in America for the restoration of 
the jewelry: "If you take those jewels, there is certain and 
speedy death before you," It was immaterial whether the 
property which Mrs. Hart-Davies claimed was worth five thou- 
sand pounds or only five pounds. Xo doubt in a civil action a 



APPENDIX IV. 457 

great deal more of evidence of value would be required : here, 
however, all the jury had to decide was whether false pre- 
tences, known to be false pretences, were used to induce the 
prosecutrix to part with her property. In regard to the point 
raised by the counsel for the defence, — that the prisoner, being 
a married woman, was presumed to be acting under the coer- 
cion of her husband, — he had to point out that it was open to 
the prosecution to call evidence rebutting such presumption, 
and showing that there was independent action on the part of 
the wife. The evidence of Mrs. Hart-Davies went to prove 
that the first mention of the jewels did not come from Mr. 
Fletcher, but from the prisoner at that interview in Gordon 
Street, when the message came from the mother, "Do as I 
have instructed you." If there should 'be conviction on the 
conspiracy count, he would desire the jury, for the purpose of 
considering the point raised by counsel for the defence that 
husband and wife could not conspire, to give their opinion as 
to whether Morton with the Fletchers, or either of them, con- 
spired to obtain the deed of gift or the will. 



APPENDIX V. 

WHAT PRISONS ARE, AND WHAT THEY MIGHT 

BE. 

Aside from the experiences I have given, my life in prison 
was very monotonous. Once in three months, three times 
during my year's imprisonment, I was allowed to have a 
visit from three or four of my friends. 

The reception-room is a large cell, divided by strong iron 
bars into three cages similar to those in which very savage 
beasts are kept in menageries. In the central cage sits 
a more or less grim-looking warder in a chair, looking at a 
clock opposite her, which marks off: the twenty minutes 
allowed for each visit, and to see that the conversation is 
kept within proper limits, also that there is no smuggling of 
forbidden luxuries, especially spirits or tobacco. At two of 
these visits I was allowed, when my friends were leaving, to 
put my hand through a little hole made for the purpose to 
be shaken and kissed. The last time, and perhaps because 
it was the last, the warder graciously unlocked the door, and 
allowed me to clasp some dear friends in my arms. This 
was granted by the matron as a special favor. 

In a few cases, friends who had some special and satis- 
factory reasons, business or otherwise, applied to the home 
458 



APPENDIX V. 459 

secretary, and were allowed to see me, but under the same 
conditions. My friend Mrs. Xichols wrote to Sir William 
Harcourt that she wished to see me about my health and 
about a memorial to him which she was preparing ; and as 
she was over seventy years old, and in feeble health, she 
begged that she might be placed where she could have a 
chair to sit in while talking with me ; begged this grace for 
the sake of Him who said, " / icas in prison, and ye came 
un)o me." Her prayer was not granted. She came, how- 
ever, and talked with me through the two gratings as long 
as she could stand, or the woman who sat keeping watch and 
ward, permitted. The last time Mrs. Xichols visited me 
she was allowed a wooden chair. 

Of my personal treatment in prison I have much to be 
grateful for, and little to complain of. The "hard labor" 
which my friends thought so cruel a part of my sentence was 
a great resource and a great happiness to me. It took me 
out of the solitary confinement in my close, dark cell. As 
it was, my health suffered severely, perhaps permanently. 
The prisons for convicts whose terms are less than five years 
are admittedly far worse than those for penal servitude. 

Dr. Nichols, in his monthly paper, the " Herald of 
Health," treating the matter from a sanitary and moral 
point of view, embodied the information I gave him in 
the following articles, which I copy because the facts seem 
to me to be clearly and justly stated, and because their 
publication led to some agitation in the press, and even in 
Parliament, and, but for the more important and exciting 
subjects of Ireland and Egypt, would probably have obtained 
wider notice. 



460 APPENDIX V. 

Her Majesty's Prisons. —Formerly the prisons of Eng- 
land were horribly unhealthy, and in many ways utterly dis- 
graceful. To "rot in jail" was no figure of speech, hut a 
dreadful reality. Men and women were kept in dark and dirty 
holes, with no regard to cleanliness or ventilation. When 
transported to Virginia, or the longer distance, to Botany Bay, 
the transport-ships, like the hulks in harbor, were " floating 
hells," and half or more of the convicts died on the passage 
of bad air, bad food, and lack of water. When the govern- 
ment, besieged by philanthropists, made it for the interest 
of contractors to land prisoners at their destination, instead of 
dropping them into the sea, simply by paying only for those 
so landed, the mortality of the Botany Bay passage was reduced 
from sixty to five per cent. So much for making it the interest 
of men to do right, which is the real duty of all government. 

Our prisons at this time are said to be fairly well managed 
and healthy: so they should be, since good health and good 
morals go hand in hand ; and every prison should be reforma- 
tory in every way, — a school of all the virtues, making men 
and women healthier and better. They should be and do all 
this for many reasons, one of which is, that many innocent 
persons are sent to prison, — some, because unjustly accused 
and convicted; some, because unfortunate and poor. Thou- 
sands of persons are imprisoned for debt. We supposed such 
imprisonment was abolished ; but it appears that every one who 
cannot obey the order of a county court-judge is considered 
guilty of contempt of court, and shut up in prison. 

We have had occasion during the past year to take some 
personal interest in one of her Majesty's prisons, the one in 
Tothill Fields, between Victoria Station and Westminster 
Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. This is a very large 
prison, entirely devoted to women, placed under the charge of 



APPENDIX V. 461 

a lady superintendent and female warders. At the gate are 
two male porters and a clerk; but. save when policemen are 
called in to quell disturbances which the robust and resolute 
female warders are not able to manage, the only men inside 
are the two chaplains (Protestant and Catholic) and the phy- 
sician. Since there are now many regularly educated, di- 
ploma-ed, and registered female physicians, why are they not 
appointed to female prisons ? 

In this prison are confined an average of five or six hundred 
women, nine-tenths on short sentences for drunkenness, dis- 
orderly conduct, and petty thefts. The prison-vans bring 
them, fifty or sixty a da*y. from all the police-courts of the 
metropolis, as well as from the criminal courts and sessions. 
So many come in every day: so many are discharged, mostly to 
come again. What a work for the chaplains! "What a work 
for reformers ! 

On the arrival of the prisoners, — numbering at times fifty 
or sixty a day, of all characteis, and in every imaginable de- 
gree of filth and disease, — all are compelled to wash in the 
same water! The delicate lady, accustomed to her daily ablu- 
tion, and the drunken and diseased street-walker, must enter 
the same bath. Does her gracious Majesty know of this utter- 
ly abominable regulation ? 

After this beautiful introduction to prison sanitation, each 
prisoner is allowed three quarts of water a day for all purposes, 
and. once a week, an ounce of very nasty yellow soap, — all her 
Majesty's government can afford. 

A clean chemise and towel are allowed once a week — clean 
by courtesy; for as the hundreds of pieces are mixed together, 
and passed through the prison laundry, there is a distribution 
of filth rather than an achievement of cleanliness. Each pris- 
oner in the laundry is expected to wash sixty chemises a day. 



462 appendix y. 

Sheets, summer clothing, and stockings are washed once a 
month in the same fashion, and distributed hap-hazard. Wool- 
len clothing is worn from October to May without washing. 

Blankets are never washed the year round, and are neces- 
sarily filled with filth and fleas, with the chance of worse 
abominations. Prisoners inherit the blankets of their prede- 
cessors, with all the filth and vermin they leave behind them. 
The lowest dregs of the slums of Westminster, Seven Dials, 
Drury Lane, etc., settle here. 

The sanitary condition is made worse by lack of light. Half 
the cells are too dark to read in: all are badly ventilated, close, 
and suffocating in summer. The prisoners are kept in these 
cells day and night, except one hour a day for exercise and 
chapel. The necessary vessels in the cells become very offen- 
sive. The food of the prisoners is brought into, and must be 
eaten in, these close and nasty cells. 

There is one water-closet for fifty-five women, — the average 
number in each section of the prison, — in which they must all 
empty their slops. When the small-pox was in the prison, dur- 
ing the recent epidemic, one of these got choked, and the yard 
was flooded with sewage for four days. 

There is no classification. The most refined ladies, rightly or 
wrongly convicted of some misdemeanor, are mixed with the 
most horrible drunken prostitutes and female roughs and ruf- 
fians, w T ho get the best treatment, because the officers dare not 
offend them. The silent system is carried out as well, perhaps, 
as it can be among five hundred women, wdio cannot be pre- 
vented from shouting to each other at night, and relating their 
not ahvays edifying adventures. 

The usual work is picking oakum; but a certain number are 
told off to sort the paper brought by scavengers from dust-holes 
and gutters, filling the prison with dust, stench, fleas, and 



APPENDIX V. 463 

other vermin, and who can say what germs of disease ? The 
prisoners condemned to this filthy labor, covered thickly with 
dirt, have no change of clothing, and daily mingle with the 
others in chapel, so that all this filth may be fairly dis- 
tributed. 

The walls of the cells are whitewashed twice a year; this 
is well : but in the sick-cells the beds are never changed or 
cleansed. 

The diet of prisons, though considered by many as too 
meagre, seems fairly sufficient for the average. A pint of gruel 
is served morning and night, and three four-ounce loaves of 
bread , a day. For dinner, a pint of soup, three potatoes, 
bread, and suet-pudding. The beans are not well cooked (they 
are seldom cooked enough anywhere), and the bacon is very 
offensive. On one day in the week, Friday, each prisoner gets 
six ounces of Australian meat. 

There are diet-papers in all the cells, showing what should 
be given according to the government regulations; but this diet 
is never furnished, has not been in the memory of the oldest 
inhabitant. 

The diet actually provided does not suit all stomachs. One 
poor old woman who could not digest it took to her bed, 
turned her face to the wall, and resolutely starved to death, 
and so got out of it. 

This is the account, intelligent and accurate we have no 
doubt, which we get from a lady who has had a year's observa- 
tion and experience of this prison. She makes no complaint 
of personal ill treatment, but onlt of the conditions of unclean- 
liness and unhealthfulness from which all must alike suffer. 
She was treated by every one, as was natural, with the con- 
sideration due to her position and character, and with all the 
favor the regulations would allow. As kindness is the habit of 



464 APPENDIX V. 

her life, and it was misplaced kindness that gave her this expe- 
rience, she had some opportunities of doing good to those 
around her, and was rewarded, as we know, with the tenderest 
love of those who had the best opportunities of knowing 
her. 

Prisons, you may say, are for punishment. Yes: hut are 
filth and darkness, foul air and diseasing conditions, lice and 
fleas, proper punishments or reforming influences ? They 
harden and debase. And what of the innocent — the victims 
of our constant "failures of justice" ? What of the consid- 
erable number, who, as one of the chaplains of this prison as- 
sured us, are rather unfortunate than criminal, and really free 
from moral guilt ? What of the thousands of prisoners for 
debt, who for their misfortunes are subjected to all the de- 
moralizing influences of prison-life ? Do we not need another 
Howard, and another Mrs. Fry, to preach another prison cru- 
sade, and carry out another prison-reformation ? 

We shall send this paper to her Majesty's home secretary. 
Possibly one of his subordinates may read it. We cannot ex- 
pect that it will catch the eye of a much bothered and over- 
tasked prime-minister. We may, perhaps, hope for a few 
moments' attention from two or three members of Parliament ; 
and we ask our many thoughtful and philanthropic readers, 
and especially kind-hearted, generous women, whether some- 
thing better cannot be done for five or six hundred female 
prisoners — several thousands every year — than such abomi- 
nably vile and unhealthy conditions as we have felt obliged 
to notice. Other prisons may be as bad or worse. It is certain 
that in this one there is need of reformation. — The Herald of 
Health, May, 1882. 



APPENDIX V. 465 

In the June number of' his periodical, Dr. Nichols had 
occasion to return to the subject, in an article on unsanitary 
prisons. 

Our article on the condition of the great prison for women 
in Tothill Fields, Westminster, in the May number of the 
" Herald of Health," may do some good. It has already had 
the advantage of a parliamentary notice. The " Times" of 
May 3 contained the following : — 

Tothill-Fields Prison. — !Mr. Broadhurst asked the secretary of state 
for the home department whether his attention had been called to an article 
in the May number of the "Herald of Health," giving a description of the 
condition of prison-life in the Tothill-Fields Prison for AVomen, in which 
very grave charges were made as to the insufficiency of clean linen, both 
in respect to wearing-apparel and bedding, also to the bad light and bad ven- 
tilation of the cells, and to the want of more sanitary conveniences, and to 
the occasional bad condition of those at present provided ; and whether he 
would cause inquiries to be made into the truth, or otherwise, of the charges 
in question ; and, if they were found to be true, whether he would order the 
prison-authorities to make better arrangements for the cleanliness of the 
inmates of that prison. 

Sir W. Harcourt said he had caused inquiries to be made into the case, 
and the reports of the medical officer and the lady-superintendent satisfied 
him that the charges were not well founded. 

This is precisely the usual proceeding. When abuses are 
pointed out in any department of government, the chief in- 
quires of his subordinates, and they never fail to satisfy him 
that the charges are not well founded. That is what they are 
for. We repeat the charges we brought, not against the officers 
of the prison, but against its construction and regulations. 
We are ready to prove that it is a place, not of healthy and moral 
restraint and reformation, but of unhealthy, demoralizing tor- 
ture. Give us the opportunity, and we will prove every item 



466 APPENDIX V. 

and more. Probably this is not the only defective and unsani- 
tary prison. Coroner's inquests are far too frequent in the Cold- 
bath-Fields Prison, which is for men what the Tothill-Fields 
Prison is for women. Since our article was written, an inquest 
has been held there on the body of Edward Woodhouse, aged 
twenty, a printer. The father of the deceased, while exon- 
erating the warders, said that he believed his son had been 
virtually murdered by the cruel system under which the ward- 
ers were compelled to act. The coroner, observing that such 
a charge was a very heavy one against any public institution, 
offered to order a post-mortem examination if the father wished 
it. The father left this in the hands of the coroner. The 
jury, after a private deliberation, expressed a wish to view the 
cell in which the prisoner had been confined. After the inspec- 
tion they returned a verdict of " Death from inflammation of 
the lungs, of a very acute and sharp nature." Woodhouse, who 
was sentenced to four months' imprisonment for an assault, 
was said by his father to be "a strong, healthy young man" 
when he was sent to prison. 

Let us look at the facts. The hundreds of women in the 
Tothill-Fields Prison are locked up singly in cold, damp cells, 
many of which — about one-half — are too dark to read in, for 
twenty-three hours out of every twenty-four. These tombs 
are badly ventilated, with uncovered vessels, and in winter 
cruelly cold ; while the inmates, wearing out month after month 
in this dreary solitude, are thinly clothed, sleep on hammocks 
which give almost no protection, with only two blankets in 
winter, and one in summer, washed once a year, and meantime, 
with all they gather, the inheritance of each successive pris- 
oner, and of those moved from one cell to another. 

The passages or corridors of the prison are warmed, and 
made comfortable for the warders. Some of this warm air 



APPENDIX V. 467 

filters into the cells, and its moisture condenses on the walls, 
and runs down upon the cold stone floor. Here the poor 
women eat their hearts out for twenty-three hours of every 
day with fleas and rats, and perhaps the germs of fatal dis- 
eases. 

We are glad to learn, that, since our article was published, 
drains have been inspected, and some cleansing and white- 
washing done. So far so good; but that will not give air, light, 
and the conditions of health, which are the rights of every 
human being. We agree that a prison is for restraint and for 
salutary punishment: above all, it should be for reform. It 
is right that prisoners should be deprived of mere luxuries and 
sensual indulgences. But cold, darkness, bad or insufficient 
food, filth, and the dreary monotony of silent, solitary confine- 
ment in living tombs, can only demoralize, and shorten life. 

Some years ago this system was vigorously denounced in 
"The Weekly Dispatch." It was asserted that no prisoner 
could endure more than two years of such confinement, and 
that it was far worse than penal servitude. It is made bad, and 
kept so, to prevent crime. Is it deterrent ? If it were, would 
the same prisoners come up twenty times, a hundred times, 
in one case two hundred and forty times, over for sentence ? 
As the gallows does not prevent murder, and did not prevent 
theft when men, women, and children were hanged for stealing 
a few shillings, so no amount of cruelty of punishment deters 
from crime. 

There is another difficulty about this prison. It is not only 
not reformatory, not educational in any way, beyond the influ- 
ence which may be exercised by the two chaplains, but there 
are demoralizing influences. Abandoned women find means 
of communicating with young girls, and offer them induce- 
ments to become inmates of houses of ill-fame when they leave 



468 APPENDIX V. 

x 
the prison. Possibly they manage to get sentenced a month 
for no other purpose. They gather round the gates, and offer 
hospitalities to those whose terms have expired. There are 
other things we cannot go into. The prisoners are completely 
in the power of the warders; and " who is there to watch the 
shepherds" — or the shepherdesses? A warder may be as 
drunken and depraved as any prisoner. 

We have made no charges against the officers of the prison. 
No doubt the lady-superintendent, the physician, and the chap- 
lains do their best under the system and regulations which 
define and limit their duties. It is the system and the regula- 
tions, and the very structure and arrangements of the prison, 
and of prisons generally, of which we complain. Our inform- 
ant, who has simply given us her own experience and observa- 
tions, had no motive but that of pity for suffering, and a desire 
to benefit her fellow-sufferers. She had no complaint of a per- 
sonal character to make. From the moment of her arrest to 
the termination of her sentence, she was treated with the 
greatest possible -kindness and consideration that conditions 
and regulations would admit of. A failure of justice may have 
the effect of bringing about much needed reforms. Two thou- 
sand years ago it was a work of charity to visit prisoners. A 
hundred years ago Mrs. Fry was allowed to preach to the 
female prisoners in Newgate. Under our present regulations 
the words "I was in prison, and ye came unto me," have lost 
their meaning. 

A prison should be in every way a school of healthful, 
orderly, industrious life. It should be full of inducements to 
good conduct, and free from temptations to .evil. A prison 
should not lower health, or shorten life; and it should be a 
training-school for every inmate. Every prisoner should be 
able to pay the cost of his imprisonment. Some American 



APPENDIX V. 469 

prisons bring a net profit to the State. "We think the State 
might well divide the profits of labor with the prisoners. There 
should be every encouragement to work, and none to idle and 
shirk. 

And no short sentences after the first. The third should be 
for life, or " during her Majesty's pleasure.'' What a wretched 
farce it is. for our magistrates to sentence a woman a hundred 
times ! A year is the shortest time to cure the habit of drink. 
If it recur, either the patient should be kept out of the way of 
drink, or the drink, by local option or otherwise, out of the way 
of the patient. 

Yes, " the patient." A great poet has said, — 

11 All crime is madness : madness is disease." 
Then every prison should be a hospital to cure it. And a hos- 
pital should have light, warmth, pure food, pure water, all the 
conditions of health, and all possible incitements to industry 
and virtue. 

First a hospital, and then a school, — a school of life. 

Can all criminals be cured of crime? Certainly not. Crime 
is almost always hereditary and constitutional, and it is some- 
times incurable. There are hospitals for incurables. Men are 
born liars and born thieves, and all such should be humanely 
taken care of. But the majority can be cured by the adoption 
of a reasonable and scientific system of education and dis- 
cipline. 

We thank Mr. Broadhurst for his question to the home 
secretary, and we are sorry that Sir William Harcourt could 
not give a more satisfactory answer. He has too much to do. 
There should be a special minister of justice responsible for 
the treatment, health, education, and reformation of prisoners. 

And we beg our readers not to imagine that we write from 
Utopia, or of any thing impossible. There has been in France 
for half a century a prison so educational, so truly reformatory, 



470 APPENDIX V. 

that the fact of any one having been trained in it is a letter of 
recommendation. A man who wants a situation of trust can- 
not give a better reference than to say he is an enfant de Met- 
tray. There is a similar-training school for young convicts In 
Belgium. We do not pretend that the old are as easily trained 
as the young; but we do know that men and women at all 
ages may " cease to do evil, and learn to do well, ,, and that the 
best work in this world is to help all who need our help to live 
honest and useful lives. We must despair of none, and give 
real help to all who need it. As a hospital should be the best 
possible place to cure disease, a prison should be the best pos- 
sible place to reform the immoral and the criminal. — Herald 
of Health, June, 1882. 

Mr. Dillon, M.P., complained bitterly in the House of 
Commons that he had been locked up in his cell twenty-two 
hours out of twenty-four, which he thought enough to destroy 
the health of any one. We poor women at Tothill Fields 
were locked up an hour longer. 

With Dr. Nichols, I see no reason why every prison should 
not be a school of life for culture, training, and improvement 
in bodily health and intelligence and morality. With a 
proper classification of prisoners, all could be taught, and all 
could be more or less improved. If there are any so de- 
mented or depraved as to be hopeless, what is wanted for 
such is something like an insane-asylum, or hospital for in- 
curables, where they could be humanely treated, and made 
to pay by their industry the cost of their living. It seems 
to me to be an awful farce for London magistrates, and 
magistrates in all the towns of England, to send men and 
women scores and hundreds of times to prison, to come out 
each time more hardened and more degraded. 



APPENDIX VI. 

MEMORIAL OF DR. KECHOLS TO THE HOME SEC- 
RETARY, ASKING FOR THE RELEASE OF MRS. 
FLETCHER. 

The Memorial of Thomas Low Nichols, M.D., of 32 Fopstone 
Road, South Kensington, London, S. W., tn behalf of Mks. 
Susan Willis Fletcher, a prisoner. 

To the Rif/ht Honorable Sir William Harcourt, Bart., M.P., 
her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Department. 
Sir, — I am a citizen of the United States of America, by- 
profession a physician, author, and journalist, for twenty years 
resident in England. In the exercise of what I presume to be 
my right, and what I feel to be my duty, I make this appeal in 
behalf of my countrywoman and dear friend now confined a 
prisoner, violently parted from her husband, parents, child, 
and many friends, because unjustly, and, I think, also unlaw- 
fully, convicted. 

Your prisoner, Mrs. Susan Willis Fletcher, came to Eng- 
land with her husband, Mr. John William Fletcher, both re- 
spectable citizens of the United States of America, about the 
year 1ST7, to follow their recognized and lawful calling of spir- 
itual mediums and trance-speakers for a large and intelligent 
body of the people of America, England, and other countries, 
calling themselves Spiritualists. In America these Spiritual- 

471 



472 APPENDIX VI. 

ists, a growing body for more than thirty years, have been 
estimated to number several millions, having numerous socie- 
ties, great lecture-halls, licensed speakers and mediums, and 
several newspapers, one of which is said to have a circulation 
cf a hundred thousand copies weekly. In Great Britain there 
are also many Spiritualist societies, several in London, and one 
or more in most of the provincial towns, with four weekly 
newspapers, a monthly review, and many registered halls or 
chapels, speakers, and mediums. 

In 1878 Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher established themselves as 
spiritual mediums at 22 Gordon Street, Gordon Square, Lon- 
don; and Mr. Fletcher held religious services, and gave ad- 
dresses on Spiritualism on Sunday evenings, at Steinway Hall 
in Lower Seymour Street, Portman Square, which were at- 
tended by a large and fashionable congregation. 

Belief in Spiritualism, or the existence of the spirits of men 
and women who have lived in this world, and their power, at 
times and under favoring conditions, to communicate with 
the living, has been and is, I need scarcely remind so accom- 
plished a student of history, common to nearly the whole 
human race. It was and is the basis of the religions of Egypt, 
Greece, Eome, India, China, and is the faith alike of Jews, 
Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, and Brahmins. 

The manifestations of the presence and power of spirits of 
departed men and women, which have become common in 
America, Europe, and over the world, during the past thirty 
years, have been witnessed by many thousands of intelligent 
observers, and been carefully examined and rigidly tested by 
many scientific men, as Professor Hare, Professor Mapes, 
Judge Edmunds, Professor Denton, Mr. Epes Sargent, and 
others in America, by Mr. William Howitt, Dr. Kobert Cham- 
bers, Professor De Morgan, Mr. S. C. Hall, Mr. William 



APPENDIX VI. 473 

Crookes, F.R.S., Mr. Alfred Russell Wallace, F.R.G.S., the 
late and present Earls of Dunraven, the Earl of Crawford, and 
many more in England, and lately and notably by Professor 
Zollner of the University of Leipzig, an astronomer of world- 
wide reputation, who, with his fellow-professors, most care- 
fully examined and tested the manifestations made in pres- 
ence of two celebrated mediums, — Henry Slade (American) 
and William Eglinton (Englishman), with both of whom I am 
well acquainted, as I have also been with many mediums dur- 
ing twenty-five years of careful examination of the phenomena 
of Spiritualism. 

I assert, and am ready to prove by hundreds of unimpeacna- 
ble witnesses and by experimental demonstration, the fact 
and truth, or objective reality, of Spiritualism. There is no 
need to prove the strong and violent prejudice against it. 
Materialists and religionists, from different motives, deny its 
facts, and refuse investigation. On the trial of Mrs. Fletcher 
all testimony to prove its reality was excluded by the presiding 
judge, while the jury was asked by the government prosecutor 
to crush Spiritualism as a pestilent heresy; so that religious 
persecution became the animus of the trial, and motive of the 
verdict. 

Under these circumstances, you, as a liberal and enlightened 
minister of the crown, standing in the place of her gracious 
Majesty, to whose clemency and justice I am making this 
appeal, will pardon me if I give a brief yet faithful history of 
this prosecution of Mrs. Fletcher, under the direction of a 
department of the government of which you are the responsi- 
ble minister. 

[The history of the case is omitted, because it has been more 
fully given elsewhere. After a brief recital of the facts, the 
memorial says], — 



474 APPENDIX VI. 

Had the Fletchers been Methodists, Baptists, or Plymouth 
Brethren, the matter in dispute would have been settled in a 
court of equity. The property formally given to the Fletchers 
had been in great part restored. No injury had been inflicted. 
Mrs. Hart-Davies was really indebted to the Fletchers. Noth- 
ing had been converted or concealed. When the Fletchers 
went to America, they took their friend, as well as a portion 
of the property, with them. Mrs. Fletcher had come from 
America expressly and solely to meet the charge of fraud 
against her, expecting a fair trial, and not doubting that she 
would have a triumphant acquittal. 

After hearing all the evidence offered on one side, and 
declining to hear any on the other, the Bow-street magistrate 
committed Mrs. Fletcher for trial at the Central Criminal 
Court. The grand jury did not hesitate to find a "true bill." 
It appears to be as easy in our day to indict and convict and 
imprison a Spiritualist, as it was some time ago to burn a here- 
tic, or hang a witch, or whip or imprison a Quaker. It being 
a government prosecution, the various counts of this wonder- 
ful indictment were spread over sixty skins of parchment, so 
that the unrolling of one hundred and twenty feet before the 
eyes of an Old Bailey jury might have gone far in itself to 
secure a conviction. 

Practically, as the presiding judge, Mr. Justice Hawkins, 
told the jury, the whole case rested upon the testimony of Mrs. 
Hart-Davies. There was not offered one word of evidence, 
either of the non-existence of the spirit of Mrs. Heurtley, or 
that she could not communicate with her daughter, or that 
she did not actually make such communications through Mr. 
and Mrs. Fletcher. The only false pretences alleged were 
these communications, and no evidence was given of their 
falsity. It is believed with religious faith, or recognized as a 



APPENDIX VI. 475 

scientific fact, by millions, that spirits exist, and that they can 
communicate with mortals, and do so communicate. There 
was no evidence to show that Mrs. Fletcher did not believe in 
such communications, or that they might not, or did not, come 
to or through her, or that she had not acted in simple good 
faith. Her coming to meet her trial," and her remaining on 
bail to the end, when she saw that the trial was utterly unfair, 
that all her witnesses were shut out, and that the Court, and 
probably the jury, were against her, are strong proofs of her 
sincerity. 

A hundred witnesses could have been called to prove the 
reality of spiritual manifestations, among them men of the 
highest rank and position ; but the Court ruled that no amount 
of such testimony would be of any avail. Surely this was 
wrong. Surely it was important to show that the pretences 
charged as false might be true, or at least that Mrs. Fletcher, 
like thousands of others, might honestly believe in such com- 
munications. 

[" Well knowing them to be false" is the phrase repeated 
throughout the indictment; yet this knowledge was assumed, 
and in no case proven. Spiritualism is false; she must know 
it to be false: therefore she is guilty. Two centuries ago it 
was, witchcraft is wicked ; she is a witch, well knowing it to 
be wicked : let her be hanged or burned accordingly. Under 
judges like Sir Matthew Hale, hundreds of poor women suf- 
fered horrible deaths for witchcraft. Ought I to complain of 
a year's imprisonment under the equally enlightened sentence 
of Sir Henry Hawkins ?] 

The jury was exhorted by the government prosecutor to 
"crush a pestilent heresy," or, as otherwise reported, to "give 
a death-blow to a great danger." 



476 APPENDIX VI. 

At the close of the trial, if that can be called a trial in 
which only one side is heard, the presiding judge occupied five 
hours in his charge to the jury. I beg to call your attention to 
a few sentences in this charge. His lordship said, — 

" Great excitement had been manifested during the case by persons who 
had come forward to give the prisoner a character for honesty and integrity, 
and to say that she and her husband were enthusiastic believers in Spiritu- 
alism and in the doctrine of communion with departed spirits. !Now, he 
must take leave to say, that it was absolutely immaterial to the issue they 
were trying, whether or not there might be in this world several millions 
of persons devoutly believing that communion might be had with departed 
spirits." 

I was present in court during the whole trial, and I saw 
no evidence or manifestation of such excitement; also I think 
the fact that millions of persons devoutly believe In communion 
with departed spirits renders it not improbable that the Fletch- 
ers held that belief. , 

His lordship said, — 

" Of course the whole of this case depends upon whether you believe the 
evidence of the prosecutrix, or not. If you do not, the whole fabric of 
the case comes down." 

Yet he resolutely and persistently excluded testimony affect- 
ing the character, and therefore the credibility, of this wit- 
ness; apparently agreeing with the Bow-street magistrate, that, 
though she had led "the life of a demon," she might be 
believed when she charged another person with fraud. 

"It was given in evidence by Mrs. Hart-Davies, that there was an honora- 
ble understanding that the goods should be returned when required." 

The goods had been so returned: then, why these criminal 
proceedings ? 



APPENDIX VI. 477 

I am quite aware that the entire press, almost without excep- 
tion, approved the verdict. The " leaders " of the London 
journals, daily and weekly, were echoes of the charge and the 
sentence ; but I am too old a journalist not to know what such 
clamor is worth. It was simply an embodiment of an ignorant 
and prejudiced public opinion, taking the place of the pillory, 
to which good and bad men were subjected in a ruder age, 
when the populace threw their own dirt, because they had no 
" leader " writers paid to do it for them. 

I give you my opinions freely ; because I think you wish to 
know how intelligent and fair-minded men look upon such a 
failure of justice, and triumph of prejudice, as this trial and 
its result. 

But the charge to the jury and the sentence were as re- 
markable for what they omitted as for what they asserted. 
Just and humane judges are eager to place before a jury any 
evidence or circumstance which may tell in favor of a person 
accused of crime. In this case, the fact that Mrs. Fletcher 
came across the Atlantic in midwinter, solely to meet this 
accusation; the fact, that, during four months at Bow Street 
and the Old Bailey, she had regularly surrendered to her bail, 
when she might have kept away, or taken her departure, — were 
not so much as hinted at. The fact, that no article of the 
property had been sold, secreted, or made away with ; that Mrs. 
Hart-Davies, with a portion of it, was taken with the Fletchers 
to America; that the remainder was left where she herself had 
placed it, — these most important facts were left unmentioned, 
as if they had not existed. 

I appeal to you, right honorable sir, as to the one man to 
whom 'the administration of justice, and also of the royal 
clemency, in these realms, is confided; to the one whose func- 
tions are, to a vast number, the most important of those of any 



478 APPENDIX VI. 

of her Majesty's ministers, — whether I have not shown reason 
why this case should be reviewed in the only tribunal before 
which it can be brought ; and I respectfully ask you to con- 
sider some of the evidence which ought to have been given at 
the trial. 

But, besides the grave doubts that every one must feel as to 
the motives and evidence of the prosecutrix, there remains the 
fact that there was no proof of fraud or false pretences. It 
was a matter of inference or opinion. There was no proof 
given that one word spoken or written by Mrs. Fletcher to 
Mrs. Hart-Davies was untrue. The charge of the judge and 
the verdict of the jury were based upon preconceived opinions. 
Mrs. Fletcher, perfectly innocent, as I and thousands more 
believe her to be, upon this mere opinion, based upon no actual 
proof, might have been sentenced to penal servitude. Some 
years ago she might have been transported or hanged, as I 
much fear thousands of innocent victims have been, when 
there were no home secretaries to revise the verdicts of preju- 
diced juries,, and the sentences of judges who condemned poor 
women to death for witchcraft and sorcery, for pretending to 
which Mrs. Fletcher was gravely indicted in a count which Mr. 
Justice Hawkins condemned as bad in law, and unsupported 
by any evidence. The charge of false pretences, I contend, 
was equally unsupported ; and conviction without proof is con- 
trary to law. 

Submitting what I have said, and what I have appended, to 
your wise, just, and merciful consideration, I have the honor 
to remain, with the highest respect, 

Your most obedient servant, 

THOMAS LOW NICHOLS. 

32 Fopstone Road, South Kensington, S.W. 



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